The Father, incomprehensible and unchangeable, has revealed to humanity his
mystery, his plan of love, realized through the Son in the Holy Spirit, for the
salvation of mankind. In creation, he called the cosmos into existence and
rendered it beautiful for man, made in the image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26) of
God. And when man knew the bitter experience of sin, the Father did not abandon
him, but bandaged his wounds with his mercy, offering his salvation and
reconciling to himself the ancestors, patriarchs, the just, and the entire
lineage of the elect and forming an alliance with his people.

In the fullness of time, by the work of the Holy Spirit, the Word made
himself flesh of the Virgin Mary, assuming unto himself and espousing human
nature in the virgin's womb. After having dwelt among men and having announced,
with words and signs, the Gospel of the Kingdom, he so loved the Church, his
spouse, that he offered himself in the supreme oblation on the Cross to remove
her every stain and re-clothe her with beauty and splendor. In the Pascal
Mystery of his death and resurrection, he, the new Passover, holocaust and
priest, poured out blood and water on the Church, a symbol of the sacraments,
and poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit upon her. Having entered the
sanctuary of heaven, he intercedes for mankind (cf. Heb. 7:25). Since then, the
Church, which is his Spouse and Body, walks in time and space, always united
with heaven and oriented toward the eternal wedding in the communion of saints,
without ever ceasing to acclaim and invoke him until he returns.

Out of the baptismal font, the Lord Christ generates children, who bear the
image of the Resurrected, to the Church. These, united to Christ in the Holy
Spirit, are rendered fit to celebrate with Christ the sacred liturgy, spiritual
worship.

The liturgy of the Church is first of all celebration, by means of the Holy
Spirit, of the mystery of our salvation, accomplished in the Passover of the
Lord Jesus, in obedience to the eternal will of the heavenly Father. In the
sacramental mystery, the risen Christ offers himself, rendering us fully
conformed to his image through the gift of his Spirit, so that for us "life
means Christ" (Phil. 1:21).

The Lord makes himself present when the Word of God is proclaimed in the
assembly and welcomed with a pure heart. In Christian Initiation, the children
of the Church receive the gift to die with, be buried with, and be raised with
Christ the Lord (cf. Rom. 6:1-11; Col. 2:20; 3:1-4). In being conformed to
Christ the Priest, it has been given to some of his children, chosen for the
ministry of priesthood, to serve his priestly, prophetic, and royal people, and
to pronounce the epiclesis so that the Spirit may place them in the presence of
the divine majesty, to render him glory and praise, and to express thanksgiving.
In the wedding Feast of the Eucharist, the Spouse offers her his Body and Blood,
the beginning of the promised and invoked kingdom, rendered ardent by the fire
of the Spirit. In Marriage, the Church unites herself to the Spouse in the
fecundity of new children and in the commitment of witness and evangelization.
In the sacrament of Forgiveness, the son that was lost but has been found (cf.
Lk. 15:11-32) is re-admitted to the presence of the Father. In the holy Oil for
the sick, the Church invokes her Lord for healing and the remission of sins.
United to Christ praying, to whom the monk in particular aspires his whole
existence, she offers up praise, thanksgiving, and epicletic supplication to the
Father continuously in the Holy Spirit. Her liturgy extends itself in the
"time of salvation," the scansions of which are laden with grace.

In the complexity of these mysteries, the terrestrial liturgy already unites
the earth to heaven, and thus to the divine and perfect liturgy celebrated
there, until the time when, upon the return of her Lord, humanity will be
allowed to see God as he is and to unceasingly adore the most holy Trinity.

2. Liturgy in the Eastern Churches

In the Apostolic Letter <Orientale Lumen>, John Paul II invites one to
listen to the Churches of the East, "living interpreters of the treasure of
tradition they preserve," inasmuch as—says the Pope—"in
contemplating it, before my eyes appear elements of great significance for a
fuller and more thorough understanding of the Christian experience. These
elements are capable of giving a more complete Christian response to the
expectations of the men and women of today. Indeed, in comparison to any other
culture, the Christian East has a unique and privileged role as the original
setting where the Church was born."[1] In this perspective, remembering
"with what love the Eastern Christians celebrate the sacred
liturgy,"[2] he underscores that in the liturgical celebration the sense of
mystery "is so strongly felt by all the faithful of the Christian
East"[3] and that "liturgical prayer in the East shows a great
aptitude for involving the human person in his or her totality: the mystery is
sung in the loftiness of its content, but also in the warmth of the sentiments
it awakens in the heart of redeemed humanity. In the sacred act, even bodiliness
is summoned to praise, and beauty, which in the East is one of the best loved
names expressing the divine harmony and the model of transfigured humanity,[4]
appears everywhere: in the shape of the church, in the sounds, in the colours,
in the lights, in the scents. The lengthy duration of the celebrations, the
repeated invocations, everything expresses gradual identification with the
mystery celebrated with one's whole person. Thus the prayer of the Church
already becomes participation in the heavenly liturgy, an anticipation of the
final beatitude."[5]

This confirms even more the invaluable affirmation of the conciliar Decree on
ecumenism: "Everyone should realize that it is of supreme importance to
understand, venerate, preserve and foster the rich liturgical and spiritual
heritage of the Eastern Churches in order faithfully to preserve the fullness of
Christian tradition, and to bring about reconciliation between Eastern and
Western Christians."[6]

CHAPTER I

The Meaning and Nature of the Instruction

3. The Second Vatican Council and the liturgy

"Every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like
the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the
old" (Mt. 13:52). This expression summarizes the disposition of the Fathers
assembled in the Second Vatican Council. The Constitutions and Decrees approved
by the Council itself, as well as the interpretive and applicative documents for
the implementation of the decisions made during the Council, aspire to this
gospel verse.

It is not by chance that the first document published by Vatican Council II
was that of the holy liturgy. The same Council emphasized the importance of such
a choice, noting that to revive and restore the liturgy must be considered
"a sign of the providential dispositions of God in our time, and as a
movement of the Holy Spirit in his Church,"[7] because the liturgy daily
builds up those who are in the Church, making of them a holy temple of the Lord,
a dwelling place for God in the Spirit (cf. Eph 2:21-22), to the mature measure
of the fullness of Christ (cf. Eph 4:13). At the same time it marvelously
increases their power to preach Christ.[8]

Prepared by decades of reflection elaborated in particular by the then-called
liturgical movement, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy was followed by
intense collegiate activity which sought to clarify and gradually introduce it
in the life of the Western Church, spreading its spirit, codifying some of the
rules and inserting them in the liturgical books.

4. Conciliar and post-conciliar principles and norms for the Eastern Churches

All the Christian Churches are founded on the one message of Christ and
necessarily share a common heritage. Therefore, quite a number of principles of
the conciliar Constitution on the sacred liturgy universally provide valid
elements for the liturgies of all the Churches and should be applied even in the
celebrations of Churches that do not follow the Roman rite.[9] The practical
norms of the Constitution and those of the Code of Canon Law promulgated in 1983
must be understood as affecting only the Latin Church.[10] The principles and
norms of liturgical nature which directly concern the Eastern Churches are found
instead in various conciliar documents, such as in <Lumen Gentium> (n.
23), <Unitatis Redintegratio> (nn. 14-17) and even more importantly in
<Orientalium Ecclesiarum>. These exalt the inalienable value of the
specific, and thus diversified, traditions of the Eastern Churches. After the
Second Vatican Council, the most important collection of norms for the Eastern
Churches is constituted by the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

The quoted documents disclose general principles and practical norms
regarding several aspects of ecclesial life. Some legislate in liturgical
matters, indicating obligatory norms for all Catholic Eastern Churches.
Obviously, these do not pretend to exhaust the totality of the indications
regulating the liturgical celebrations for every single Church <sui
iuris>. Such prescriptions belong, in fact, to the particular laws of each
Church.

5. The present Instruction for the application of the liturgical
prescriptions of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches

The liturgical laws valid for all the Eastern Churches are important because
they provide the general orientation. However, being distributed among various
texts, they risk remaining ignored, poorly coordinated and poorly interpreted.
It seemed opportune, therefore, to gather them in a systematic whole, completing
them with further clarification: thus, the intent of the Instruction, presented
to the Eastern Churches which are in full communion with the Apostolic See, is
to help them fully realize their own identity. The authoritative general
directive of this Instruction, formulated to be implemented in Eastern
celebrations and liturgical life, articulates itself in propositions of a
juridical-pastoral nature, constantly taking initiative from a theological
perspective.

The Instruction poses the following objectives:

—to lead to a more profound understanding of the immense richness of the
authentic Eastern traditions, which are to be scrupulously maintained and
communicated to all the faithful;

—to arrange the liturgical norms valid for all the Catholic Eastern
Churches in an organic summary and to introduce recovery, where necessary of the
Eastern liturgical authenticity, according to the Tradition which each Eastern
Church has inherited from the Apostles through the Fathers;

—to exhort a permanent liturgical formation to be organized on a solid
basis, for both the clergy—beginning with seminarians and formation institutes
-, and the people of God through schools of mystagogical catechesis;

—to list the principles in common for the elaboration of Liturgical
Directories for the individual Churches <sui iuris.>

The frequent comparison with the Roman liturgy is intended to highlight the
Eastern uniqueness, which risks being compromised or even eliminated in the
contact with the Latin Church, her institutions, her doctrinal elaboration, her
liturgical practices, and her internal organization which is often more
developed also because of more favorable historical vicissitudes.

6. Elaboration of the local Liturgical Directories

The present Instruction, compiled on the basis of the indications of the Holy
See and of the Eastern liturgical traditions, limits itself to the formulation
of principles and rules valid for all the Catholic Eastern Churches. The
authorities of the individual Churches <sui iuris>, according to the
indications of the Apostolic Constitution <Sacri Canones,>[11] are invited
to receive them with full open-mindedness and insert them into the prescriptions
of their own liturgical laws.

For communities of Churches <sui iuris> belonging to the same
liturgical family, such as the Churches of Constantinopolitan or of
Syro-Chaldean traditions, the Holy See will provide for the formulation of more
detailed indications in collaboration with the Churches concerned. Every single
Church <sui iuris> belonging to such families will provide, according to
methods that will be specified, for the elaboration of a <corpus> of norms
which adapt the present document and the one that will be elaborated for her
entire liturgical family to her own specific situation.

The Churches <sui iuris>, rather, which do not belong to a broader
liturgical family should elaborate as soon as possible their own particular
norms based on the present Instruction. The Holy See is available to provide
experts to collaborate with the individual Churches <sui iuris> for the
elaboration of such particular norms, if the Churches believe they have the need
and request it. At the end of the process, the Liturgical Directory of each
individual Church <sui iuris> will be presented to the Holy See.

CHAPTER II

The Inalienable Value of the Particular Heritage of the Eastern Churches and
the Urgency of its Flourishing

7. The heritage of the Eastern Churches

The conciliar documents, the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches and the
repeated authoritative declarations of the Magisterium affirm the inalienable
value of the particular heritage of the Eastern Churches. <Lumen Gentium>
n. 23 declares that these, by divine Providence, whilst safeguarding the unity
of the faith and the unique divine structure of the universal Church, enjoy
their own theological and spiritual heritage, their own discipline, and their
own liturgical usage. <Orientalium Ecclesiarum> n. 1 specifies that in
these shines the Tradition derived from the Apostles through the Fathers, which
constitutes part of the divinely revealed, undivided heritage of the Universal
Church.

Within the unity of the Catholic faith, each one of these heritages expresses
the variety of its manifestations.[12] The fullness of the Mystery of God
reveals itself progressively according to the historical and cultural
circumstances of peoples and expresses itself in each of the Eastern Churches'
manner of living the faith.[13]

8. Articulations of the Eastern Churches

Addressing the various groups of Churches organically united, <Lumen
Gentium> n. 23 affirms that "some of these, notably the ancient
patriarchal Churches, as mothers in the faith, gave birth to other
daughter-Churches, as it were, and down to our own days they are linked with
these by bonds of a more intimate charity...." The Code of Canons of the
Eastern Churches makes the same affirmation when it speaks of the Churches
<sui iuris> as a community of the Christian faithful united by a Hierarchy
(can. 27); it recalls the rites that constitute their own heritage (can. 28 §
1); and it specifies that these rites trace their origins to the Alexandrian,
Antiochene, Armenian, Chaldean and Constantinopolitan traditions (can. 28 § 2).

9. Particular aspects of the heritage of the Eastern Churches

These Churches have jealously retained the symbolic biblical theology,
explained at great length by the Fathers. They preserve the sense of the awesome
and inexpressible Mystery which surrounds and connotes the celebrative act. In
the texts and in their whole spirit, they maintain the sense of liturgy with
formulas that are both rich and meaningful as unceasing doxology, as a petition
for forgiveness and as uninterrupted epiclesis. These Churches boast of a
spirituality drawing directly from Sacred Scripture and, consequently, a
theology less subjected to strictly rational categories. For historical and
cultural reasons, they have maintained a more direct continuity with the
spiritual atmosphere of Christian origins, a prerogative that is ever more
frequently considered even by the Occident not as a sign of stagnancy and
backwardness but of precious fidelity to the sources of salvation.

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, in can. 28 § 1 which refers to
<Lumen Gentium> n. 23 and <Orientalium Ecclesiarum> n. 3, elucidates
the important areas which articulate the heritage of each of the Churches
<sui iuris>: liturgy, theology, spirituality and discipline. It is
necessary to note that these particular fields penetrate and condition one
another in turn inside a global vision of divine revelation which pervades all
life and which culminates in the praise of the most holy Trinity.

Such articulations imply the idea of a history, of a culture, of conceptions
and uses specific to each Church, and likewise constitute the rays originating
in the one Lord, the sun of justice which illumines every man (cf. Jn 1:9) and
brings him to live in communion with him. Every one of these rays, received by
each individual Church <sui iuris>, has value and infinite dynamism and
constitutes a part of the universal heritage of the Church.

10. The duty to protect the Eastern heritage

Desiring that these treasures flourish and contribute ever more efficiently
to the evangelization of the world, <Orientalium Ecclesiarum> affirms, as
do successive documents, that the members of Eastern Churches have the right and
the duty to preserve them, to know them, and to live them.[14] Such affirmation
contains a clear condemnation of any attempt to distance the Eastern faithful
from their Churches, whether in an explicit and irreversible manner, with its
juridical consequences, inducing them to pass from one Church <sui iuris>
to another,[15] or whether in a less explicit manner, favoring the acquisition
of forms of thought, spirituality, and devotions that are not coherent with
their own ecclesial heritage, and thus contrary to the indications so often
emphasized by Roman Pontiffs and expressed, with particular force, already in
the Apostolic Letter <Orientalium Dignitas> of Leo XIII.

The danger of losing the Eastern identity manifests itself particularly in a
time like the present, characterized by great migrations from the East toward
lands believed to be more hospitable, which are prevalently of Latin tradition.
These host countries are enriched by the heritage of the Eastern faithful who
establish themselves there, and the preservation of such heritage is to be
sustained and encouraged not only by the Eastern pastors but also by the Latin
ones of the immigration territories, because it wonderfully expresses the
multicolored richness of the Church of Christ.

11. The progress of Tradition

The Apostolic Letter <Orientale Lumen> particularly emphasizes the
irreplaceable role of the Catholic Eastern faithful, "living bearers,
together with our Orthodox brothers and sisters," of the "venerable

and ancient tradition of the Eastern churches" (n. 1). It refers to an
expression already formulated in the Decree <Orientalium Ecclesiarum> (n.
1), where it is moreover wished for the Eastern Catholic Churches that they
might fulfill their mission with new apostolic strength. This does not exclude
new development and, in fact, no Church, Eastern or Western, has ever been able
to survive without adapting itself continuously to the changing conditions of
life. Rather, the Church guards against every undue and inopportune
precipitation, requiring that any eventual modification be not only well
prepared, but also inspired and conforming to the genuine traditions.

12. Criteria for the interpretation of organic progress

The Council specifies that changes in the rites and disciplines of these
Churches are not admitted except by reason of their own organic progress[16] and
adds that whenever they have fallen short, due to circumstances of time or
persons, they are to strive to return to their ancestral traditions.[17] The
Holy Father John Paul II sees in this a "symbol of the firm attitude held
by the Apostolic See, that the Council so efficiently expressed by asking the
Eastern Churches in full communion with it to have the courage to rediscover the
authentic traditions of their own identity, restoring the original purity where
necessary."[18]

The organic progress, in every Church <sui iuris>, implies taking into
account first of all the roots from which the heritage of these Churches was
initially developed, mainly in Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople,
Armenia, and in the ancient empire of Persia; and secondly, the manner in which
such traditions were transmitted, adapting to the various circumstances and
places but maintained in a coherent, organic continuity.

To explain this principle it serves to mention an exhortation of Pope Paul VI
to the members of the Commissions encharged with preparing the Code of Canons of
the Eastern Churches. Evoking the double scope of the future Code (faithful to
the traditions and in view of the demands of our world), he observed how in
presenting new things it is necessary to pay attention to take sufficiently into
account the system of the transmitted heritage. Any renewal, in fact, should be
coherent and agree with sound tradition, in such a way that the new norms do not
appear as an extraneous body forced into an ecclesiastical composite, but
blossoming as though spontaneously from already existing norms.[19]

CHAPTER III

The Richness of the Liturgical Heritage

13. The Eastern heritage is more than just liturgy

Certainly, the tendency to reduce the specific heritage of the Eastern
Churches to just its liturgical dimension should not be encouraged. The
attraction exerted by the sacredness of the rites, the intense emotion arising
from the poetic dimension of the texts, has possibly led to an excessive
emphasis of the exterior or emotional aspect, an easy place of refuge for those
who deny the liturgy its necessary link with life. This is what has sometimes
led the same Eastern Catholics to perceive only the liturgical patrimony as
being specifically their own, conforming themselves instead, for the other
aspects of spirituality, to the Western sensibility considered as common to the
Universal Church. Rather, the value of Eastern theologies and spiritualities,
understood as part of the undivided heritage of the Universal Church, is a
fairly recent discovery, as is the emergence of the importance of particular
disciplines.

The practice of the Eastern liturgy without its entire heritage flowing into
it, as into its highest expression, would risk reducing it to pure
superficiality.

14. The eminence of liturgy

Ever since its origins, the entire liturgical setting has played an
absolutely central role: the vivid sense that all new faith life culminates in
the great act of worship of Christ and of the Church united to him is, in fact,
a founding element already beginning in the apostolic period.

"The holy liturgy, the place in which proclamations and adorations and
the communion and fellowship among the believers are manifested, is the true
former of the Christian life and the most complete synthesis of its various
aspects."[20] In fact, the liturgy is the "summit and font"[21]
of Christian life and expresses it as in a synthesis; evokes and actualizes the
mystery of Christ and the Church, presents it to the contemplation of the
faithful and sings it, rendering thanks to the Lord "for eternal is his
love" (Ps. 136).

15. The special pre-eminence of the liturgy in the Eastern Churches

The pre-eminence of the liturgical patrimony is even greater in the Eastern
Churches because they have maintained in a special way the primacy of the
liturgy as the summit of Christian life, remaining thus completely faithful to
the spirit of the Church of the Fathers, when the liturgy was the place where
catechesis and religious teaching occurred; the Scripture was proclaimed and
commented;—the catechumens and penitents were prepared for Baptism and
Reconciliation accordingly, in the period preceding Easter, in a perfect
synthesis of instructions and symbols; even the diakonia found its place there.
The whole life of the Church was, therefore, summarized in the liturgy. Even
today, it is this model which inspires the Eastern Churches and which
constitutes their force. This model should be the inspiration especially for the
necessary revaluation of the "mystagogical" method for the formation
of the faithful: from the liturgy, understood and assimilated, progress in the
life of Christ is born.

The contemplation of the divine mysteries and participation in them are
realized through expressive forms which are also spiritual attitudes: doxology,
which is grateful praise and pleasing adoration and which extols the Lord
"wondrous among his saints" (Ps. 67[68], 36 LXX); anamnesis of the
wonders of the economy of salvation and the action of thanksgiving which
spontaneously arises from it; epiclesis, the invocation of the Spirit who brings
to completion the whole reality of the Church and the Kingdom; and finally, the
apophatic dimension, more notably Eastern, which expresses the sense of
unworthiness and finiteness before the inexpressible nature of the divine
realities which presents itself to mankind as the "mysterium
tremendum," surrounded by the veil of awe, by a sense of inadequacy and
thus out of humble adoration: all this is expressed in the numerous apophatic
linguistic formulas, but also by surrounding the sanctuary with respect,
separating and veiling it.

In the liturgy of the Eastern Churches, the experience of the incarnation of
the faith is realized in the culture of the peoples, so that such culture is
both the inspiration and fruit of faith and especially of the liturgy. This
multiformity of the Eastern liturgies does not harm the unity of the Church at
all, but rather reinforces it, allowing it to sink its roots in the concrete
reality of a determined time and space.

The prayer of the Churches of the East is strongly communitarian: their
liturgy leads the faithful not only to seek refuge and protection in the Lord,
but also to be united to his flock[22] and thus to be integrated in the
assembly, to take an active part there, according to their appropriate rank, to
feel the presence of the whole communion of saints, who are themselves summoned
for songs of praise and invocation.

In addition, the liturgical life remains more essentially in the center of
ecclesial concerns, expresses the faith and its content and at the same time
guides the spiritual life of the believers. This has been made especially
evident when many Eastern Churches, oppressed by persecutory regimes, were able
to survive and even strengthen themselves despite having to limit the extent of
their own spiritual and pastoral action only to liturgical celebration, from
which the people in a certain sense drew upon the life-giving substance of their
faith.

16. The liturgical heritage in the Eastern Catholic Churches as a source of
identity

The Eastern Catholic Churches, although having been influenced by the weight
of Western tradition, have maintained in the field of liturgy a more faithful
conformity to their true traditions. It is precisely their liturgies, restored
to greater authenticity and vitality by eliminating that which has altered them,
that could be the best starting point for a growth of their specific identity,
from which could be drawn words and gestures capable of touching the hearts and
illuminating the minds of their faithful in the present time.

The preservation of the liturgical riches will be more fruitful the more they
are determined not only by normative intervention by the Hierarchy, but also by
the spontaneous and faithful adhesion of the Christian people, so educated by
their pastors. It is important to recall that in these times pastors should be,
also in this field, true models of the flock, so that its traditional fidelity
may be maintained. Also of great significance will be the desirable presence of
monastic communities, alive and attentive to relish and present the unfathomable
riches of the heritage received from the traditions of their respective
Churches: "In fact, in the East an intrinsic link exists between liturgical
prayer, spiritual tradition and monastic life. For this reason precisely, a
well-trained and motivated renewal of monastic life could mean true ecclesial
fruitfulness for them as well. Nor should it be thought that this would diminish
the effectiveness of the pastoral ministry which in fact will be strengthened by
such a vigorous spirituality, and thus will find once more its ideal
place."[23]

17. The importance of Tradition in the liturgy

Such a heritage of faith is received through Tradition, which guarantees its
continuity and authenticity throughout time, ever since antiquity and especially
since the testimony of the Apostles. It is received with open heart, maintained,
transmitted, taught, confirmed, and clarified by the Holy Spirit. It is an
intangible divine deposit, whose explication is dynamic, in a fraternal exchange
with the other Churches, where universality is established through
diversification and adaptability. Applied to liturgy, Tradition has shown an
extraordinary vitality in the Eastern Churches: the prayer of the Church has
journeyed constantly, even if imperceptibly, not only on the basis of reforms
from above—which have occurred very seldomly—but precisely on the basis of
this living Tradition.

18. Liturgical reform and renewal

The first requirement of every Eastern liturgical renewal, as is also the
case for liturgical reform in the West, is that of rediscovering full fidelity
to their own liturgical traditions, benefiting from their riches and eliminating
that which has altered their authenticity. Such heedfulness is not subordinate
to but precedes so-called updating. Although a delicate task that must be
executed with care so as not to disturb souls, it must be coherently and
constantly pursued if the Eastern Catholic Churches want to remain faithful to
the mandate received. It is once again John Paul II who declares: "If,
therefore, you must trim extraneous forms and developments, deriving from
various influences that come from liturgical and paraliturgical traditions
foreign to your tradition, it is possible that, so doing, you will have to also
correct some popular habits."[24]

We are witness today to the diffusion of a mentality that tends to overvalue
efficiency, excessive activism, and the attainment of results with minimum
effort and without deep personal involvement. This attitude can also negatively
influence the approach towards liturgy, even in the East. The liturgy, rather,
continues to be a demanding school which requires an assimilation that is
progressive, laborious, and never completely accomplished. Monastic communities
are particularly sensitive to this dimension and, therefore, can make an
important contribution to the full comprehension and progress of the liturgical
heritage. From this arises the opportunity to involve in this common
responsibility, wherever possible, masculine and feminine monastic communities
belonging to the same tradition.

These considerations do not take away from the rightful exigency to express,
as much as possible, the Gospel in a plain and clear way for the contemporary
man and woman. Every formula necessitates, therefore, unceasing vigilance to
remain alive under the breath of the Spirit. But Tradition, even in its literal
expression—as is the case for Scriptures—contains unrenouncable treasures;
its strengths are received, assimilated, and utilized to transmit to mankind the
fullness of the Mystery of God. Indeed, it is about words of fire, just like the
Word of God which is sharper than a two-edged sword and penetrates to the
division of soul and spirit (cf. Heb. 4:12). The fact that they are constantly
repeated in the liturgy should not take anything away from their vigor and
perennial timeliness.

19. Study and profundity prior to every modification

It is indispensable to remember the exhortation in n. 23 of the
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy: "In order that sound tradition be
retained, and yet the way remain open to legitimate progress, the revision of
any part of the liturgy should occur only after careful investigation
-theological, historical, and pastoral." Indeed, the liturgical reform
desired by the Second Vatican Council was able to be carried out precisely
because it was preceded, and successfully followed, by lengthy experimentation,
intense historical studies, critical textual analyses, theological studies,
biblical studies, and pastoral studies, culminating in the work of individual
and committee research, both at the local and international level. Without all
this, the references, frameworks, and precise contents necessary for a valid
endeavor would not have been obtained.

20. Criteria for liturgical renewal

In modifying ancient liturgical practice, it must be determined if the
element to be introduced is coherent with the contextual meaning in which it is
placed. Such a context should be understood beginning with eventual references
to Sacred Scripture, interpretations of the Holy Fathers, liturgical reforms
previously made, and mystagogical catechesis. Here it must be verified that the
new change is homogeneous with the symbolic language, with the images and the
style specific to the liturgy of the particular Church. The new element will
have its place if, required for serious pastoral reasons, it blends within the
celebration without contrast but with coherence, almost as if it had naturally
derived from it. In addition, it should be ensured that it is not already
present, perhaps in another form, in a different moment of the celebration or in
another part of the liturgical <corpus> of that Church.

Every renewal initiative should be careful not to be conditioned by other
systems, which may appear to be more efficient. From time to time, addressing
the faithful of various Eastern Catholic Churches, John Paul II's vibrant and
repeated exhortations refer to such caution: "Do not adhere with excessive
improvisation to the imitation of cultures and traditions which are not your
own, thus betraying the sensibility of your own people. (...) This means it is
necessary that every eventual adaptation of your liturgy be founded on an
attentive study of the sources, objective knowledge of the specific features of
your culture, and maintenance of the tradition common to all Coptic
Christianity."[25]

21. The ecumenical value of the common liturgical heritage

Among the important missions entrusted especially to the Eastern Catholic
Churches, <Orientalium Ecclesiarum> (n. 24) and the Code of Canons of the
Eastern Churches (can. 903), as well as the Ecumenical Directory (n. 39),
underscore the need to promote union with the Eastern Churches that are not yet
in full communion with the See of Peter, indicating the conditions: religious
fidelity to the ancient traditions of the Eastern Churches, better knowledge of
one another, and collaboration and fraternal respect of persons and things.
These are important principles for the orientation of the ecclesiastical life of
every single Eastern Catholic community and are of eminent value in the
celebrations of divine worship, because it is precisely thus that the Eastern
Catholic and the Orthodox Churches have more integrally maintained the same
heritage.

In every effort of liturgical renewal, therefore, the practice of the
Orthodox brethren should be taken into account, knowing it, respecting it and
distancing from it as little as possible so as not to increase the existing
separation, but rather intensifying efforts in view of eventual adaptations,
maturing and working together. Thus will be manifested the unity that already
subsists in daily receiving the same spiritual nourishment from practicing the
same common heritage.[26]

CHAPTER IV

Competencies and Components of Liturgical Legislation

22. Competencies for regulating worship

Reference to can. 657, can. 668 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches indicates the competent authority for the regulation of public divine
worship. In the patriarchal Churches, this is the Patriarch with the consent of
the Synod of Bishops (which should occur in collaboration with the liturgical
Commission of the patriarchal Church[27]). Be it noted that which is established
concerning patriarchal Churches is also applicable, from can. 152 of the Code of
Canons of the Eastern Churches, to the major archiepiscopal Churches. In the
metropolitan Churches <sui iuris>, the competent authority is the
Metropolitan with the consent of the Council of Hierarchs. Both cases require
prior review by the Apostolic See. In all the other Churches, the competent
authority is exclusively the Apostolic See and, within the limits established by
it, the Bishops and their legitimately constituted <coetus> (can. 657 §
1). Other canons of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches indicate the
framework of the common norms which regulate the entire liturgical life in the
Eastern Churches.

23. The role of the Bishop

The coordination of the liturgical roles, entrusted to the authority of the
Church, is made explicit by the current legislation in can. 199 § 1 of the Code
of Canons of the Eastern Churches, which indicates the role of "the
eparchial Bishop as the moderator, promoter and guardian of the entire
liturgical life of the eparchy." Similar commitment is asked, in other
canons, of his collaborators: protopresbyters (can. 278 § 1), parish priests
(can. 289 § 2), and church rectors (can. 309).

The task of the Bishop is to be vigilant that the liturgical life "be
fostered as much as possible and ordered according to the prescriptions and
legitimate customs of his own Church <sui iuris>" (can. 199 § 1).
The Bishop, therefore, does not act solely based on its own judgment nor based
on the local customs, but refers to the specific heritage of his own Church
<sui iuris>. In this way, the authority of the individual Bishops becomes
participation in a greater authority which regulates the liturgical life of
their own Church <sui iuris>.

In exercising his mandate as moderator of the liturgical life, the Bishop
should neither act arbitrarily nor give way to the behavior of groups or
factions, but, together with his clergy, let him be an attentive guardian of the
liturgical awareness present and operating in the living memory of the people of
God entrusted to him. Just as the <sensus fidelium> is determinant of the
comprehension of the faith believed, so is it in the safeguarding of the faith
celebrated. The people, from their part, must be faithful to the indications of
the pastor and endeavor to understand them in depth and realize his mandate. To
promote a better understanding and celebration of the liturgy, eparchial
liturgical commissions of experts should be formed. Of great importance in the
liturgical maturation of the people of God will be authentic communities of
Eastern monks and nuns, places where, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, the
Mystery daily celebrated in faith is lived in fullness.

24. The role of the Apostolic See

The Apostolic See has intended to exercise an important role in the
preservation and harmonious development of the liturgical practices in the
Eastern Catholic Churches. This has been realized in the various ways which have
progressively flowed together in the activity of the Commission, created in 1717
and operational in the heart of the Congregation for the Propagation of Faith
(<Propaganda Fide>) until 1862, for the correction of the liturgical books
of the Church of the East. These interventions felt the effects of the mentality
and convictions of the times, according to which a certain subordination of the
non-Latin liturgies was perceived toward the Latin-rite liturgy which was
considered "ritus praestantior." This attitude may have led to
interventions in the Eastern liturgical texts which today, in light of
theological studies and progress, have need of revision, in the sense of a
return to ancestral traditions.[28] The work of the commissions, nevertheless,
availing themselves of the best experts of the times, succeeded in safeguarding
a major part of the Eastern heritage, often defending it against aggressive
initiatives and publishing precious editions of liturgical texts for numerous
Eastern Churches. Today, particularly after the solemn declarations of the
Apostolic Letter <Orientalium Dignitas> by Leo XIII, after the creation of
the still active special Commission for the liturgy within the Congregation for
the Eastern Churches in 1931, and above all after the Second Vatican Council and
the Apostolic Letter <Orientale Lumen> by John Paul II, respect for the
Eastern liturgies is an indisputable attitude and the Apostolic See can offer a
more complete service to the Churches.

If the solicitude of the Apostolic See for the liturgical life of the Eastern
Churches has often been revealed beneficial in the past, it appears likewise
indispensable in the precarious situations in which not a few of the Eastern
Churches also find themselves today. The fundamental importance of the liturgy
as divine-human action which realizes salvation <hic et nunc and its nature
as the privileged place which preserves and expresses the depositum fidei>
are precisely that which motivates the function of guardianship and protection,
even of Eastern liturgical practices, which the Apostolic See continues to
perform: it is a question of guaranteeing and defending the faith in one of its
most important expressions. Such conviction motivated the formulation of can.
657 § 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches which reserves the
approval of liturgical texts to the Apostolic See for non-patriarchal and
non-metropolitan Churches <sui iuris> and requires a prior review by it
for the patriarchal and metropolitan Churches. Such revision obviously applies
to all that concerns liturgical celebrations.

25. Competencies for the approval of the translations of liturgical books

Through the centuries various circumstances have provoked important changes
in the area of language. Within the Eastern territories themselves, the original
languages have been slowly but profoundly transformed, sometimes having even
disappeared and been replaced by others. In other cases, many of the faithful of
the Eastern Churches have left their land of origin and established themselves
elsewhere, living next to Christians educated in different traditions; with the
passing of time, they have been inserted in the cultural context of the place
where they were located. They have often lost the knowledge and use of their
original languages, rendering the participation in the liturgy of their own
Church more difficult. Therefore, to prevent this difficulty, ever since ancient
times the Eastern Churches have often taken measures to translate their own
liturgical texts into languages understood by the faithful.

Can. 657 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches specifies that
the right to approve the versions of the books is up to the competent authority
for the approval of the liturgical books themselves, after having sent a report
to the Apostolic See in the case of patriarchal and metropolitan Churches
<sui iuris>.

The multiplication of eparchies or churches <sui iuris> of the same
liturgical families that use the same language, sometimes within the same
territory, normally requires that standard translations be used. The competent
authorities should agree among themselves to obtain this uniformity.

26. Components of liturgical legislation

Referring to liturgical legislation, can. 3 of the Code of Canons of the
Eastern Churches concerns the prescriptions of liturgical books. Besides these,
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches mentions other norms of liturgical
nature emanating from the competent authority of the Churches <sui iuris>
and not included in the liturgical books, such as regulations (can. 668),
prescriptions of the Churches <sui iuris> (can. 199), and liturgical laws
(can. 150 § 2). All these prescriptions, those of universal as well as
particular legislation, have the force of law. Regarding the latter, can. 3 of
the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches insists on the obligation to
diligently observe them.

27. The complexity of particular liturgical legislation

For a wise and realistic interpretation of the particular prescriptions, it
is necessary to take into account the fact that, except for the organic whole in
which they are inserted, they do not always constitute a totality that is
entirely homogeneous. In fact, various norms, as much those about liturgical
books as others, have been diversified, being adapted to the specific
requirements of the different environments and contexts. The result has been
that, in view of the different situations, diverse and even contradictory
orientations can result. The competent authorities for regulating liturgical
life have the duty to examine them closely in light of the above-mentioned
general principles, at the same time accounting for coherence with the original
traditions and the new demands of the current context. It is a delicate task for
which research and studies should be encouraged to discover theological as well
as pastoral significance.

28. Custom

Can. 1508 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, similar to can. 27
of the Code of Canon Law, affirms that custom is the best interpreter of laws,
while can. 1507 and 1509 explain the rules for applying it. As can. 1507
specifies, custom is the fruit of the continuous and uncontested practice of the
local community, precious because it is rooted in the life of the people. Also
concerning this subject, a wise discernment will be necessary to preserve that
which is most valid and stimulating for a true Christian flourishing and to
intervene in that which is superfluous or less suitable to the particular
genuine traditions.

29. Liturgical books and ecumenism

Can. 656 § 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches affirms that the
only books to be used in liturgical celebrations are those which have received
ecclesiastical approval. Although an obvious principle, some practical
difficulties are encountered. In fact, some Eastern Catholic Churches lack their
own editions of liturgical books, or at least some, and must use editions, which
objectively speaking are sometimes very well done, used by the corresponding
Orthodox Churches. Such use occurs with the tacit approval of the Apostolic See
or the local Authority. This necessity, each case being examined with prudence,
may prove itself a valuable custom, as a manifestation of the partial but deep
and extensive communion existing till today between the Catholic and Orthodox
Churches which come from a common trunk, and may serve as a dynamic seed for the
recovery of full communion. On the other hand, quite a number of editions of
liturgical books published in Rome are sometimes appreciated and used by
Orthodox brethren. Nonetheless, any unnecessary differentiation between the
liturgical books of the Eastern Catholic Churches and those of the Orthodox
should be avoided. Rather, common editions, in the measure in which it is
possible, are encouraged. Pope John Paul II affirms, in the occasion of his
address to the Catholics of the Armenian Church, "It is particularly dear
to me to wish that the common study of the liturgy and its necessary adaptations
be a privileged field of collaboration between Armenian Catholics and
Orthodox."[29]

Such a wish is repeated anew in the general terms of the Ecumenical Directory
n. 187 which exhorts the use of liturgical texts in common with other Churches
or ecclesial Communities, because "when Christians pray together, with one
voice, their common testimony reaches the heavens and is understood also on
earth."

30. Catechetical directories and liturgy: catechesis and mystagogy

Can. 621 §§ 1 and 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches addresses
the catechetical Directories that need to be elaborated in the patriarchal and
metropolitan Churches: it requires that the special character of the Eastern
Churches be taken into account in such a way that the catechetical teaching
emphasizes the importance of the Bible and the liturgy as well as the traditions
of each Church <sui iuris> in petrology, hagiography, and iconography. It
is reiterated that in the East, as is also recommended in the Western Church
today, catechesis cannot be separated from liturgy, since the former takes
inspiration from the latter, as the mystery of Christ celebrated <in
actu.> Such is the method adopted by numerous Fathers of the Church in the
formation of the faithful. It is expressed as "catechesis" for the
catechumens and "mystagogy" or "catechetical mystagogy" for
the initiates in the divine Mysteries. In this way the faithful are continuously
guided toward the joyful rediscovery of the Word and of the death and
resurrection of their Lord to whom the Spirit of the Father introduced them. By
understanding what they celebrate and from the full assimilation of what they
have celebrated, they draw a plan for life: mystagogy is thus the content of
their existence, redeemed, sanctified, and on the path of divinization and, as
such, is the foundation of spirituality and morals. Therefore, it is urged that
the catechetical process of the individual Eastern Catholic Churches concretely
have as a starting point their own specific liturgical celebrations.

CHAPTER V

The Liturgical Celebration as an Icon of the Church

31. The Church, assembly at prayer

The book of the Acts of the Apostles describes the life of the first
Christians: "They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to
the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to prayers (...). All who
believed were together and had all things in common (...). Every day they
devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple" (Acts 2:42,44,46). In
these passages can be recognized characteristic traits of liturgical worship,
reaching out to listen to the Word of God announced by the Apostles and to sing
divine praises in the midst of the assembly (cf. Heb. 2:12), especially forming
the Body of Christ, the "one Bread" out of many, through the communal
participation in the breaking of the Bread and in the Cup of blessing (cf. 1
Cor. 10:16-17), the supreme sacramental sign until the consummation of time.

From this emerges the communal aspect of an assembly gathered around the
Apostles, ministers of the New Alliance, who reveal the fulfillment of the
promises in the person of Christ crucified and risen. In the post-apostolic
period, Ignatius of Antioch presents the same vision of the Church at prayer:
"As the Lord did nothing without the Father, wither by himself or through
the Apostles (for he was united with him), so you must do nothing without the
bishop and the presbyters... run together as to one temple of God, as to one
altar, to one Jesus Christ, who came forth from one Father and remained with the
One and returned to the One."[30]

Even if in the East, eremitical monasticism has flourished and continues to
flourish, the communitarian nature of prayer is nonetheless a fundamental aspect
of Eastern spirituality: the faithful situates their spiritual lives in the
liturgical activity. This characteristic should be maintained and revived in the
heart of Christians, also to avoid the infiltration in the faithful of the
search for spirituality which is often foreign to their own traditions and
sometimes even to the Christian faith.

32. The Eucharist makes the Church

Liturgical prayer certainly conforms and perfectly expresses the authentic
deposit of faith, according to the ancient expression of the <Indiculus:
legem credendi lex statuat supplicandi,[31] commonly synthesized as lex orandi
lex credendi.> The Church, therefore, understands herself in depth precisely
starting from her nature as a celebrating assembly. In this sense, it should not
be forgotten that, if the Church makes the Eucharist, the Eucharist makes the
Church to the point of becoming the criterion of conformity for the same right
doctrine, as Iraeneus of Lyon reminds us: "Our thought is in full accord
with the Eucharist and Eucharist, in its turn, confirms our thought."[32]

33. The active participation of the faithful

The apostle Paul exhorts the Romans to direct spiritual worship to God,
offering themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (cf. Rom.
12:1). The apostle Peter makes the same admonition when he writes that we are
"living stones for the construction of a spiritual house, for a holy
priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ" ( 1 Pt 2:5). To offer together worship that is pleasing to God
through the Son in the Holy Spirit is, therefore, at the same time both a right
and a duty of the baptized. Thus, awareness must be formed in the faithful and
the method and necessary space must be arranged in order that this participation
be complete and thus active, full, devout, intelligent and fruitful. Care must
be taken to ensure that, after an attentive historical examination of the rites,
the parts which in the course of time have been inappropriately taken from the
people are restored to them. Those who are entrusted with a ministry
(presbyters, deacons, rectors, cantors, commentators, the choir, etc.) should
not, in fact, substitute but rather guide the whole assembly, in such a way that
it can also externally express its participation as it should. However, giving
to the people parts which are specifically the competencies of the holy
ministries is to be avoided.

34. The liturgical assemblies are hierarchically ordered

Liturgical assemblies must be ordered. This was a precise norm of the Old
Testament, as had already been delineated especially in Leviticus and in the
book of Numbers, and raised to an apostolic precept by St. Paul:
"Everything must be done properly and in order" (1 Cor. 14:40) when
the assembly gathers for celebration. Just as the first Christians listened to
the Apostles, so their successors the Bishops guided the gatherings of prayer,
personally or through presbyters or deacons. As to the content of the
celebrations, it was determined in part by the formulas and rites inherited from
the past—from the Old Testament and from the Judaic tradition -, understood in
light of Christian Revelation; and in part by subsequent creations compiled by
either the authors of the New Testament, or by successive authors, but always
verified by authority and by the <sensus fidei> of the Christian people.

Can. 7 § 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches reminds us that all
the Christian faithful participate in the priestly function of Christ, and are
all, therefore, deputed for the celebration of divine worship. In addition, can.
17 affirms: "The Christian faithful have the right to worship God according
to the prescriptions of their own Church <sui iuris>, and to follow their
own form of spiritual life consonant with the teaching of the Church."
However, each of the faithful participates in the divine worship in a way proper
to each: assemblies of worship are thus composed of different parts just as the
body is composed of different members which constitute, all together, a single
living being (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12-31). In this way the entire body of the
liturgical assembly, well coordinated and connected through the collaboration of
every joint, according to the particular power of each member, can grow and
attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of Christ, avoiding the risk of being
carried here and there by every wind of doctrine (cf. Eph. 4:13-16).

CHAPTER VI

General Considerations on Divine Worship and the Sacraments

35. Elements of liturgical life

Every day, in more ways and in different moments, the liturgy "daily
builds up those who are in the Church, making of them a holy temple of the Lord,
a dwelling-place for God in the Spirit."[33] The sacraments are fundamental
moments in the liturgical life. However, they are not isolated, but rather are
inserted in the context which prepares for them and extends their action and
efficiency. Prayer, which illumines the various parts of the day and the cycles
of the year, is very important. In the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches,
it assumes the name of "Divine Praises" and entails supplication and
listening to the Word of God, in addition to praise. The daily Divine Praises
have the function of making divine grace, which flows from the Pascal Mystery
celebrated <par excellence> in the Eucharist, shine in every moment of the
day. Other elements include the sacred buildings, with the architectural
arrangement, fixtures, furnishings, sacred icons, and also how the ceremonies of
the various functions occur.

36. The liturgical year

The cycle of the annual feasts, the one that revolves around Easter as the
center and the one which articulates itself in the monthly feasts, the weekly
and daily cycle, and the same cycle of the events of life marked by the
sacraments penetrate and sustain each other, constituting a marvelous plan which
renders the various moments of the history of salvation present and permeates
the entire spiritual life of the faithful. The calendar of the various Eastern
Churches is thus articulated, characterized by a wise, spiritual harmony.

In addition to Sundays and the annual feast of Easter, other feasts are
celebrated with more emphasis in all Eastern Churches. Can. 880 § 1 of the Code
of Canons of the Eastern Churches specifies that their constitution, their
transferal or their suppression depends only on the supreme authority of the
Church. To constitute, transfer or suppress feast days belongs to the respective
authority which is competent to establish particular laws, always taking into
account the obligation to guard the proper patrimony and not allow changes to be
made except by reason of its organic progress.[34]

There are more important feasts which are considered holy days of obligation,
some of which are common to all the Eastern Churches.[35] On these feasts, the
Christian faithful are bound by obligation to participate in the divine worship
and to abstain from the activities which might impede such participation.[36]

In addition to feast days, and usually in preparation for their celebration,
days of penance must also be observed,[37] during which the Christian faithful
are obliged to observe the fast and abstinence in the manner established by the
particular law of their Church <sui iuris.>[38]

If in recent times, feasts or fasts coming from the Latin liturgy or from
other incongruous liturgies have been introduced in the calendars of the Eastern
Catholic Churches, necessary steps should be taken, with pastoral prudence, to
restore the calendar to its traditional structure, eliminating the elements
incompatible with the spirit and features of the Eastern heritage.

Until the time in which all Christians reach the desired agreement of fixing
one day for the common celebration of the Easter feast, the practice, already in
use among some Catholic communities living in countries of Orthodox majority,
will be encouraged to celebrate Easter on the day in which it is celebrated by
the Orthodox, in conformity with the indications formulated by Vatican Council
II in the appendix of the <Sacrosanctum Concilium> and in <Orientalium
Ecclesiarum> n. 20. In addition to being a sign of ecumenical fraternity,
this practice allows the Catholic faithful to enter harmoniously in the common
spiritual climate, which often also marks civilian life, avoiding inappropriate
dissonance.

37. Directed toward relation with the Lord Jesus

In the study and mystagogy of the people about the sacraments, as in all
liturgical celebrations of the Church, the principal norm is always to find the
functional and indispensable connection with Christ the Lord. In the various
moments of the liturgical year, the principal events of the history of salvation
are evoked: those of the Old Testament which find their fulfillment in him,
those of the New Testament which cover the whole life of Christ while he lived
among mankind, giving the commandments of salvation to them and guiding them to
the knowledge of the true God,[39] and those of the time of the Church during
which the Lord continues to accomplish marvels in his saints. This is valid in a
particular way for the sacraments in which, in various ways, he purifies us in
water, sanctifies us in the Spirit and, in the mystery of his Body and his
Blood, has left us a memorial of his passion for our salvation.

38. The relation between liturgy and devotions

The Eastern Churches have traditionally always known how to integrate into
their liturgies various elements which respond to the sensibility of the spirit
of the peoples. They have their own devotional forms and formulas, less precise,
more individual and probably easier, such as exclamatory prayers, celebration of
the divine office with their own particular content, veneration of the most Holy
Cross, of icons, of relics, of sanctuaries, the use of candles, incensing, and
sometimes even the offering of animals; but these manifestations of piety have
usually remained linked with the liturgical life, finding their inspiration
there and, to a certain extent, their context in it. This is probably the reason
for which other devotions have generally not been developed in parallel to the
official worship, as in the West. The Eastern Catholic Churches, nevertheless,
have received quite a number of devotions specific to the Latin Church, thus not
belonging to the traditional structure of Eastern worship. It is not good that
the particular devotions, which contribute to the spiritual life of the
faithful, turn out to be extraneous to the heritage of each Church: if,
therefore, they develop independently from this patrimony, they could give rise
to "parallel" forms of spirituality. But since these devotions are by
now much diffused in the Eastern Catholic Churches and, in fact, feed and
comfort their faithful, it would be seriously imprudent and a sign of pastoral
insensitivity to believe that they must simply be eradicated. The authorities of
the Churches <sui iuris> are to concretely promote an authentic
mystagogical formation of the faithful and, in the first place, of the
ministers, toward a spirituality that flows from their own liturgical
traditions. Enriched by a better formation, the faithful will gradually become
more capable of living and rediscovering the riches of their own liturgy. Such
pastoral action should take inspiration from the recommendation in n. 13 of the
conciliar Constitution on the sacred liturgy: "Popular devotions of the
Christian people (...) should be so drawn up that they harmonize with the
liturgical seasons, accord with the sacred liturgy, are in some way derived from
it, and lead the people to it, since in fact the liturgy by its very nature is
far superior to any of them."

In any event, it should be kept in mind that which has been established by
can. 656 § 2: "Books of prayers or devotions, intended for either the
public or the private use of the Christian faithful, are to have ecclesiastical
permission."

39. Conciliar prescriptions on the sacraments

Concerned for the safekeeping and flourishing of the precious Eastern
traditions, "the holy ecumenical council confirms and approves the ancient
discipline concerning the sacraments which exist in the Eastern Churches, and
also the ritual observed in their celebration and administration, and wishes
this to be restored where such a case arises."[40] Numbers 13-18 of the
<Orientalium Ecclesiarum> specify more urgent prescriptions which can and
must serve as the model for the criteria to use in other cases. This has been
realized at least partially in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches on the
level of universal law, but must still be clarified, especially on the
particular level, by the authorities of the different Churches <sui
iuris.>

The Council, in particular, is not satisfied to just confirm and praise the
ancient discipline enforced by the Eastern Churches but desires it to be
re-established in the places where it has weakened or fallen away. Therefore, in
reviewing their own law, the different Churches <sui iuris> must take into
account this desire and courageously undertake, even if cautiously and
gradually, the recuperation of the elements that have been lost, changing, if
necessary, the most recent practice and laws, in such places where these may be
in dissonance with the principles established, even if it means modifying
decisions made by Synods or taking distance from indications given, in other
times and for various reasons, by the Congregations of the Apostolic See.

40. The sacraments, actions of the Church

The Church in which God reveals himself constitutes, in some way, the
sacrament from which the individual sacraments are derived. According to can.
673, the celebration of the sacraments is an action of the Church, that is, of
the assembly of all the members of the people of God, of the Body of Christ
"joined and held together by every supporting ligament, with the proper
functioning of each part" (Eph. 4:16). This entails an active participation
in the celebration by all the faithful. It is important that this participation
of all the members of the people of God in the dynamic of the celebration be
accomplished and manifested always in the celebration of the sacraments, which
are the culminating actions of the life of the Church.

41. The creation as sacrament

Can. 667 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches affirms that the
Church has the obligation to dispense the sacraments "so that the mystery
of Christ is communicated under a visible sign," for in them "our Lord
Jesus Christ sanctifies people by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that they
become in a unique way true worshipers of God the Father and by which they are
inserted into the Church, His Body." The sacraments thus communicate, above
all, the mysteries of Christ, which means all that he accomplished on earth to
carry out the plan hidden from ages past in God who created the universe (cf.
Eph. 3:9-11) "to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth"
(Eph. 1:10), and render us "holy and without blemish before him in
love" (Eph. 1:4-5). The mysteries of Christ are communicated to us through
visible signs. The sacraments are, therefore, the place in which created things
are assumed in order to give thanks to God and thus reach the fullness of their
meaning. The economy of divine grace dispensed to mankind is accomplished by
deeds and words (cf. Acts 1:1), increasing the value of the "cosmic
elements:" the human body above all; then water, oil, bread, and wine; the
instruments such as the Eucharistic cup; the sacred building with all that it
represents and encloses within it, especially the cross and the holy icons;
sacred places and times. Such elements are taken up by the Lord Jesus through
the Holy Spirit, recapitulated by him and entrusted to the Church as instruments
of salvific sacramentality. In fact, the grace of the Holy Spirit makes use of
these for the redemption and sanctification of mankind and the cosmos (cf. Rom.
8:16-25) and for rendering the Father worship that is worthy. It is in this
context that the liturgical gestures and benedictions acquire all their meaning.
In the theology of the liturgy, and thus in the mystagogy of the people, all
these are necessarily important material for reflection and explanation.

CHAPTER VII

The Sacraments of Christian Initiation

42. The link between the sacraments of Initiation

An indication given by the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches that
differs from the frequent use and even from the particular legislation of the
last centuries is the affirmation of the strict link existing between the three
sacraments of Christian Initiation, which also must result in the way of
celebrating them. Initiation is, in reality, the one and indivisible celebration
of the entrance into the life of Christ, into the community that lives in him.
This entrance, initiated with the first call to the faith, reaches its
culminating point in the Pascal Mystery of Christ, in whose death we are
immersed to be raised in his resurrection which renders us children of God and
the temple of the Spirit. "Anointed" by the Spirit for the work of the
Kingdom, we are thus rendered fit to participate in the banquet of the Kingdom.
This is the motivating factor in the composition of can. 695 and 697 which
prescribe the administration of the three sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation
with the holy Myron, and Holy Communion in conjunction with or at least one not
long after another.

According to the doctrine and practice of the ancient Church, inspired by the
New Testament, the faithful who received the eschatological gift of the Spirit
of the Risen accepted that the same Spirit operate in his or her person the
assimilation to Christ the Lord. The baptismal rebirth as children of God,
inheritors of the Kingdom, justified, redeemed and sanctified, entailed the full
entrance into the people of God. The ultimate "sign" of this event was
the admission to the banquet of the Kingdom. That indivisible sacrament was,
therefore, necessarily conferred, with the most coherence, in a single
celebrative context.

From this moment, the faithful were thus inserted into the people of God,
with all the titles and functions that their new life in Christ and in the
Spirit entailed, without exclusion. One celebration, therefore, because it was
one, indivisible work of the Spirit of the Father and of the Son.

Such usage was practiced in the life of all the Churches in the first
centuries.[41]

For historical and cultural reasons, such practices were abandoned by the
Western Church, and the baptismal initiation was conferred to children in
various successive moments. However, the ancient use was maintained intact and
uninterruptedly in the East. This link is so strong that, in quite a number of
contexts, the term "Baptism" usually implies all three of the phases
of Christian Initiation: this is the title attributed to them in many manuscript
or printed euchologies.

This practice was changed during the last centuries in different Eastern
Catholic Churches under external pressure, based on spiritual and pastoral
meanings altered by Latins, comprehendible but extraneous to the organic
progress and not in line with the dynamism of the Eastern patrimony. In places
where the traditional practice has been lost, the application of the norms
prescribed in the content of the Code will require a true reform, analogous to
that which the conciliar Constitution on the sacred liturgy required for the
Latin liturgy. Though without acting hastily, an in-depth study of the ancient
practice, obtained from related manuscripts and printed texts which have been
published by Eastern Catholics and also by Orthodox, should first be prepared.
The practice still in use by the Orthodox should also be taken into account. The
necessary instruction should be provided so that the motivations can be
understood by all: clergy, theologians, and the Christian people. While the
restored practice is being introduced, care should be taken to not interrupt the
necessary, progressive catechesis of newly initiated children, as soon as they
are ready to approach the comprehension of the mysteries of the faith, and to
continue until they reach maturity. The participation by children in the brief
but regular moments of the liturgical celebrations is already in itself a
precious element of catechesis, because it introduces them concretely into the
life of the Church, with an initiation that is not so much notionalistic nor
rational but efficient, inserting them in a celebrative climate where the
gestures introduce them into the invisible reality. The whole process will also
require a creative effort to adequately connect the new practice in the context
of the current life. Though not an easy intervention, it is indispensable in
order to truly revitalize one's own heritage, to the benefit of the universal
Church.

43. The theological meaning of the sacraments of Initiation

In Baptism, the person is freed from sin, reborn to new life, re-clothed in
Christ and incorporated in the Church.[42] In Chrismation with the holy Myron,
he or she is signed with the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.[43] The full
initiation is made final by the reception of the Eucharist, a sacrament not only
of the communion of the individual with Christ, Head of the Mystical Body, but
also of the communion among all the faithful, members of the Body who live the
new life in Him. The nourishment of the Body and the Blood of the incarnated
Word brings the Christian to perfection, in such a way that it is no longer he
that lives but Christ who lives in him (cf. Gal. 2:20). The sacramental
celebration of Christian Initiation is

the visible gesture which confers the gift of benevolence offered by the
heavenly Father to mankind in his incarnated Son, and communicates eternal life
to whoever listens to the word of Christ and believes in Him who sent him (cf.
Jn. 5:24).

44. The importance of the preparation for Baptism and the role of the sponsor

Baptism is a sacrament granted to those who believe and want to adhere to
Christ. All Christian rituals, Eastern as well as Western, prescribe that prior
to administering it, a preparation is required in which both the journey of the
candidate toward the Lord and—immediately before the Baptism—his or her
adhesion to Christ and corresponding renunciation of Satan and forces of evil
are expressed. Of prime example are the baptismal homilies of Saint John
Chrysostom or of his contemporary, Mar Theodore of Mopsuestia, which emphasize
the urgency of this dimension of initiation into the mysteries of Christ.

The ritual formulas that express this attitude must correspond to the actual
dispositions of the candidates, either of their own persons in the case of
adults,[44] or of those who assume the responsibility and will ensure a
Christian education in the case of infants.[45]

Corresponding to the same concern, "according to the most ancient
tradition of the Churches the person who is to be baptized should have at least
one sponsor," who has the obligation to present the candidate and make
efforts such that, after Initiation, the baptized person may be ready to
"lead a Christian life in harmony with baptism and to fulfill faithfully
the obligations connected with it" (can. 684).

To guarantee all this, can. 686 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches underscores the requirement of a congruent preparation when it states:
"The pastor is to see that the parents of the infant to be baptized and
those who are given the function of sponsor, be instructed as to the meaning of
this sacrament and the obligations connected with it and that they are prepared
for an appropriate celebration of the sacrament." It would also be
beneficial to become informed about the solutions that other Churches[46] have
adopted in order to guarantee the seriousness of the conversion required by
Christian Initiation.

45. To distinguish the phases of the rite of Baptism

Christian Initiation is a process of conversion, punctuated by some ritual
moments which realize the wise pedagogy of salvation.

Today, in the majority of the cases, the baptismal rite is celebrated
together with the rites which prepare for it. It is precisely the nature of the
progression of the itinerary of conversion which makes it beneficial to restore
the ancient distinction in time between the preparatory part and that of the
true and proper baptismal celebration. Re-establishing this separation will be
even more meaningful when it concerns the Baptism of adults.

46. The minister of Baptism

Differing from the Latin tradition reiterated in can. 861 § 1 of the Code of
Canon Law, the ordinary administration of Baptism in all Eastern traditions, as
referred to in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches can. 677 § 1, is
reserved to those who are clothed in priestly grace, that is, to bishops and
presbyters, excluding deacons, on whom hands have been imposed "not unto
the priesthood, but unto the ministry."[47]

In case of necessity rather, according to can. 677 § 2, baptism can also be
licitly administered by the deacon, another cleric, members of institutes of
consecrated life, and also "any other Christian faithful," but not
just "any person with the right intention" as is indicated for the
Latin Church in can. 861 § 2 of the Code of Canon Law. Such differentiation
underlines that Baptism saves the individual introducing him or her into an
ecclesiastical community. Therefore, only a member of the community can baptize.

The insertion into the ecclesiastical community also appears in the Code of
Canons of the Eastern Churches when it affirms that "its administration is
the competence (...) of the proper pastor of the person to be baptized, or
another priest with the permission of the same pastor or the local
hierarch" (can. 677 § 1) and that "in the territory of another it is
not licit for anyone to administer baptism without the required permission"
(can. 678 § 1).

47. Baptism is to be received in one's own rite

With the exception of special circumstances, which would have to be
authorized by the competent authorities, the practice of requesting Baptism in a
rite other than one's own for motives such as esthetics, friendship with the
minister, etc. is absolutely discouraged. Except for the case of lacking a
minister of one's own rite, the celebration of Baptism should also visibly
signify the entrance in one's own Church <sui iuris>. For this reason,
can. 683 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches states that "Baptism
must be celebrated according (to) the liturgical prescriptions of the Church
<sui iuris> in which according to the norm of law the person to be
baptized is to be enrolled."

48. The rite should be complete and by immersion

The competent authorities of the different Churches <sui iuris> should
take care to emanate appropriate directives such that changes or abbreviations
are avoided which may be harmful or less expressive of the meaning of the
various moments that constitute the rite: the preparatory acts of exorcisms or
renunciation of Satan, of blessing the water and oil of pre-baptismal anointing,
and the concluding act of post-baptismal dressing. Many liturgical books provide
for the usual administration of Baptism through the rite of triple immersion.
Maintained throughout the traditions of the Eastern Churches, it is a meaningful
and highly expressive rite which is still present and encouraged today in the
Western Church,[48] though too often abandoned for simple reasons of
convenience. The competent authorities should therefore seek ways to restore it,
with prudence but also with zeal.

49. The meaning of Chrismation with Myron

Chrismation with holy Myron, which is discussed by can. 692-697 of the Code
of Canons of the Eastern Churches, is the name given in the East to the
sacrament which the Code of Canon Law calls Confirmation. Such diverse
designations for the same sacrament may correspond to traditional understandings
which are substantially identical but diversely accentuated: each, in fact,
insists preferably on one aspect and underscores, in the Eastern Churches, the
perfect initiation into the mystery of Christ, and, in the Latin Church, the
capacity acquired by the individual's testimony of his or her faith.

Can. 692 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, according to Eastern
traditions, does not require that the anointing be done by the imposition of the
hand, differing from the prescriptions of the Latin liturgy.[49]

50. The minister of Chrismation

Can. 694 affirms that "according to the tradition of the Eastern
Churches, Chrismation with holy Myron is administered by a presbyter either in
conjunction with baptism or separately," and can. 696 § 1 specifies that
"all presbyters of the Eastern Churches can validly administer this
sacrament either along with baptism or separately to all the Christian faithful
of any Church <sui iuris> including the Latin Church."

Eastern presbyters are to use their faculty of chrismating the Latin faithful
with great discretion and contacting, as much as possible, the competent
Hierarchs of that Church. In fact, Confirmation in the Latin Church is usually
administered to children separately and at the end of a developed catechesis
which in itself is a part of the Christian Initiation. To chrismate the Latin
faithful who have not received this formation risks damaging the organic whole
of the Christian Initiation used in the Latin Church.

The Eastern practice differentiates itself from the Latin one, expressed in
can. 882 of the Code of Canon Law which declares that "the ordinary
minister of Confirmation is the bishop," even if a presbyter can administer
it when he is provided this faculty "by virtue of either the common law or
a special concession of competent authority." Born under different
circumstances, the Latin legislation gives emphasis to the principle, pronounced
by Ignatius of Antioch, of the necessary unity of the Church and of the
presbytery around the Bishop.[50] In the Eastern tradition this aspect is
represented by the consecration of the holy Myron which is reserved to only the
Bishop or, according to the norms of the particular law, also to only the
Patriarch,[51] who celebrates this consecration with great solemnity. Such
attribution to the Patriarch indicates the bond of communion existing, beyond
every individual eparchy, within the Churches <sui iuris>. May these
ancient traditions, in this regard, be faithfully preserved.

51. Communion to the neophytes

Can. 697 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches prescribe that the
Eucharist be administered as soon as possible after the Baptism and Chrismation
with holy Myron, according to the norms of the Church <sui iuris>. Can.
710 resumes the subject of participation of baptized infants in the Eucharist
and exhorts that the prescriptions of the liturgical books of the Church <sui
iuris> be observed in its administration. This legislation, specific to the
Eastern Churches, necessitates some clarification.

For reasons already seen, the norms regarding the Communion to neophytes are
not found in the legislation of some Eastern Catholic Churches, which have often
postponed the first Communion to the school age. Therefore, it will be the task
of the competent authorities to adopt measures suitable for returning to the
previous practice and to elaborate norms that are more conforming to their own
tradition.

As for the prescriptions contained in the liturgical books to the same
regard, it should be noted that, in the majority of the cases, whether of these
or the Churches which preserve the ancient uses, they do not provide sufficient
indications, considering that the Ritual of Baptism in general was conceived for
adults and subsequently used for children, without introducing any specific
modification in the Eastern Churches. The subject is usually addressed in the
pastoral manuals for the sacraments. Some practical suggestions could be
obtained from the practices of the Orthodox Churches.

Finally, the administration of the Divine Eucharist to infant neophytes is
not limited to only the moment of the celebration of Initiation. Eucharist is
the Bread of life, and infants need to be nourished constantly, from then on, to
grow spiritually. The method of their participation in the Eucharist corresponds
to their capacity: they will initially be different from the adults, inevitably
less aware and not very rational, but they will progressively develop, through
the grace and pedagogy of the sacrament, to grow until "mature manhood to
the extent of the full stature of Christ" (cf. Eph. 4:13). The sacrament is
always a gift which operates efficiently, in different ways just as every person
is different. Special celebrations which correspond to the various steps of
human growth can possibly be of some use for the pedagogy of the faith and to
accompany specifically the indispensable catechesis of children and young
people, but it must be clear that the initiation into the Mystery of Christ is
totally complete upon receiving the first three sacraments.

52. The rites of entrance into monastic life

Throughout the centuries, especially after the end of the persecutions many
Christians, organizing themselves in differentiated communities, have chosen to
give testimony to their own radical adhesion to the Kingdom of God, some
together forming cenobitic groups, others in forms of solitary or anacoretic
life to dedicate themselves with more freedom for the <unum necessarium.>

The importance of the monastic life and the opportuneness of its regaining
strength in the Eastern Catholic Churches have been underscored in numerous
official documents. This emphasis can be seen in the conciliar decree
<Unitatis Redintegratio> (n. 15); in the Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches, which dedicates seventy canons (can. 433-503) to the subject; and in
the amply developed content of the Apostolic Letter <Orientale Lumen> (nn.
9-16).

Christians of the East give a common witness to the tradition of considering
the initiation into monastic life strictly analogous to the baptismal
initiation, with the help of formulas, symbols and gestures which recall those
used for the initiation into Christian life.

The liturgical offices of monastic clothing are meant to emphasize that to
receive the habit signifies becoming one with the risen Lord such that the monk
can say with Paul: "I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me" (Gal.
2:20). The monk, in fact, puts on the newness of the life of the risen Lord and,
by grace of the strength received from the Holy Spirit, undertakes the struggle
against the powers of evil, so that the victory of Easter extends itself till
the ends of the earth to the glory of the one Father.

The rituals of introduction into the monastic life in the different Eastern
Churches are an integral part of the respective liturgical traditions and are
precious sources for explaining the ultimate meaning of Christian monasticism.

It is, therefore, necessary to preserve these rituals, use them for the
professions that are specifically monastic and be inspired by them also for
professions of the religious Orders and Congregations of the Eastern Churches.

CHAPTER VIII

The Divine Liturgy

53. The Meaning of the Divine Liturgy

The center of Christian worship is the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
This name, Divine Liturgy, used in the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches is
not used exclusively. Used more specifically in the Churches of Greek origin, it
is also found in other traditions, but together with other titles such as
Sacrifice, Sanctification, Mysteries, Offering and Oblation, Eucharist or
Thanksgiving, Breaking of the bread, and others.

Even if these terms evoke the sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord
more directly, they also indicate the celebration in its entirety, articulated
in two parts, the first of which is centered on the Word of God and the second
on the eucharistic rite.

The conciliar Constitution on the sacred liturgy teaches us that Christ is
present in his Word since it is He who speaks when Scripture is read in the
Church.[52] It further specifies that the homily is an integral part of the
liturgical action and insists that this ministry of preaching be fulfilled
faithfully and in a fitting manner, drawing its content above all from the font
of Sacred Scripture and the liturgy, the proclamation of the wonderful works of
God in the history of salvation.[53] Therefore, care should be taken that the
homily is never omitted in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy with the
people, at least on Sundays and holidays of obligation.

The richness of the second part of the Divine Liturgy, and in particular of
Communion which is the culmination, is wonderfully expressed by these words of
Nicholas Cabasilas: "So perfect is this Mystery, so far does it excel every
other sacred rite that it leads to the very summit of good things. Here also is
the final goal of every human endeavour. For in it we obtain God Himself, and
God is united with us in the most perfect union. (...) Since it was not possible
for us to ascend to Him and participate in that which is His, He came down to us
and partook of that which is ours. So perfectly has He coalesced with that which
He has taken that He imparts Himself to us by giving us what He has assumed from
us. As we partake of His human Body and Blood we receive God Himself into our
souls. It is thus God's Body and Blood which we receive, His soul, mind, and
will, no less than those of His humanity."[54]

54. The Anaphoras in the Divine Liturgy

In the celebration of the divine Mysteries, the text of the Anaphora shines
like a precious treasure. The Eastern Anaphoras date back to venerable
antiquity: often attributed to the Apostles, according to the living awareness
of the Churches, or to saints of the primitive Church, or to other important
personages in the history of the Churches, the Anaphoras are, in the act of the
offering, the proclamation of praise and thanksgiving to God, and the epiclesis,
which is the invocation of the Holy Spirit.

From the treasure of the Anaphoras, rather numerous according to the various
Churches, care should be taken to offer the possibility of using, as is deemed
suitable, more texts of the Anaphoras, some of which are no longer in use today
but should be restored. Considering that the Anaphora is a true masterpiece of
mystagogical theology, it is appropriate to study the ways in which, at least in
some circumstances, it could be pronounced aloud, so as to be heard by the
faithful. The pastors should see to it that the people are formed according to
that theology which is present in so pre-eminent a way in the Anaphora.

55. The different roles in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy

The conciliar Constitution on the sacred liturgy declares that the Church
"earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at this mystery of
faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators. On the contrary,
through a good understanding of the rites and prayers they should take part in
the sacred action, conscious of what they are doing, with devotion and full
collaboration" (n. 48). Can. 699 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern
Churches takes up this same teaching, clarifying the specific role of each
participant in the eucharistic celebrations: "Only bishops and presbyters
have the power of celebrating the Divine Liturgy" (§ 1)—which means that
it cannot be celebrated without them -; "deacons have their part in the
celebration of the Divine Liturgy with bishops and presbyters according to the
prescriptions of the liturgical book" (§ 2); "other Christian
faithful, by virtue of baptism and Chrismation with holy Myron, assembled in the
celebration of the Divine Liturgy, participate actively in the Sacrifice of
Christ in the manner determined by the liturgical books or particular law, and
do so more fully if they consume the Body and Blood of Christ from the same
Sacrifice" (§ 3).

56. The liturgy celebrated by the Bishop

A text of the <Sacrosanctum Concilium,> inspired by the letters of St.
Ignatius of Antioch, affirms that "the principal manifestation of the
Church consists in the full, active participation of ale God's holy people in
the same liturgical celebrations, especially in the same Eucharist, in one
prayer, at one altar, at which the bishop presides, surrounded by his college of
priests and by his ministers" (n. 41). This requires that great care be
taken of the eparchial liturgical life around the Bishop, such that the
cathedral is the true "sanctuary" of every particular Church: thus,
the liturgy at the cathedral should be celebrated in an exemplary way. It is
marvelously coupled with the exemplary nature of the liturgical celebrations in
monasteries which have always maintained, in the tradition of the Eastern
Churches, a true osmosis with the liturgical celebrations of the cathedrals.

57. Concelebration

Can. 700 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches exhorts the
concelebration together with the Bishop or with another priest "since in
such a way the unity of the priesthood and sacrifice will be suitably
manifested." Many conciliar texts underscore that, doing so, the unity of
the whole Church is made manifest. It is, therefore, a very expressive usage.
However, there can be reasons which advise against concelebration, particularly
when the number of concelebrants is disproportionately greater than the presence
of lay faithful. The liturgical celebration, as the "icon" of the
Church, should respect the nature of the community hierarchically articulated,
composed not only of ministers but the whole flock of those who, under their
guidance, live in Christ. Care should be taken that the concelebrants are not of
such quantity so as to have to overflow into the nave where the faithful are,
and thus outside of the Sanctuary itself, or to occupy the space of the
Sanctuary in such a way that impedes the dignified celebration of the rite. Of
course, concelebration is nevertheless preferable to the so-called individual
celebrations without the people. Individual, independent celebrations of the
Eucharist on multiple altars in the same place at the same time are
categorically prohibited. Such restriction is not applicable, obviously, to the
simultaneous and synchronized celebration sometimes permitted, particularly in
the Western Syrian and Ethiopian traditions.

Can. 701 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches establishes the ways
in which the concelebration between bishops and presbyters should be carried out
in the different Churches <sui iuris>. It is worth repeating here the
exhortation to avoid any liturgical syncretism, but the appropriate vestments
and insignia of their own Church <sui iuris> should be worn. It is a most
eloquent way of showing the variety of the ecclesial traditions and their coming
together in the unity of the Church. This is a meaningful symbol of the future
unity in multiformity and an instrument to protect the Eastern Churches and
their specificity against every assimilation, especially in places where they
are in the minority.

Addressing the different forms of participation in the eucharistic
celebration, the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches reminds us many times of
the need to respect the prescriptions of the liturgical books and the particular
law.[55] This requirement also applies to concelebration, considering that the
ways of practicing it in the different Churches <sui iuris> and of the
different ritual families vary. It is notable that the practice recently
established in the Western liturgies was inspired largely by Byzantine usage,
interpreted, though, in the light of their own concerns and thus with some
different outcomes. Participation in the same eucharistic Sacrifice can express
itself in various forms, each of which has a specific value that should be
organically preserved and developed. Reference to the prescriptions of the
liturgical books is an invitation to attentively examine the data of each
tradition and formulate directives which respect the authentic lineage.

58. Who should distribute the Eucharist

Can. 709 § 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches establishes that
it is the responsibility of the priest to distribute the Eucharist, or also the
deacon if the particular law of the Church <sui iuris> so disposes. The
subsequent paragraph grants the right to the Synod of Bishops of the patriarchal
Church, or to the Council of Hierarchs, to establish norms by which other
Christian faithful can also distribute the Eucharist.

Therefore, assigning to the deacon or even to other faithful the task of
distributing the Divine Eucharist depends on the instructions of the particular
law. It is indispensable to remember, however, that these instructions must be
coherent with the specific context of the liturgical tradition in which they are
inserted. It should be remembered that all the Eastern traditions emphasize the
greatness of the mystery of holy Communion. An ancient Syro-Chaldean commentator
describes the presentation of the sacred gifts to the faithful with the
following words: "The Holy One comes forth on the plate and in the cup, in
glory and majesty, accompanied by the presbyters and deacons, in grand
procession. Millions of angels and servants of the fire of the Spirit go before
the Body of Our Lord, glorifying him. All the people and all the sons of the
Church rejoice when they see the Body come from the altar."[56] Therefore,
reserving the distribution of the Eucharist normally to the priests has the
scope of manifesting its highest sacredness. Even if this excludes enhancing the
value of other criteria, also legitimate, and implies renouncing some
convenience, a change of the traditional usage risks incurring a non-organic
intrusion with respect to the spiritual framework to which it refers. Therefore,
it is appropriate that the faculty of distributing the Eucharist by those other
than the Bishop or the presbyter, or the deacon if so disposed by the particular
law of each Church <sui iuris>, be exercised only in the case of true
emergency.

59. The Eucharist is to be distributed under both species

The Eucharist should be distributed under both species of consecrated bread
and wine. Thus, the usage of distributing the Communion under the species of
Bread alone, as sometimes occurs today because of Latin influence, should be
abandoned without delay. Such practice is to be considered a recent innovation,
completely foreign to the Eastern tradition. The re-introduction of the regular
distribution of the Eucharist <sub utraque specie> can be facilitated by
the use of instruments that are fitting, observing the norms and the uses of the
particular ritual tradition.

60. The Eucharist is to be distributed in the Divine Liturgy

The participation of the Christian faithful in the sacrifice of Christ is
more complete if in the course of the celebration the faithful, after the
priest's Communion, receive the Body of the Lord from the same Sacrifice. Such
an arrangement, inspired by n. 55 of <Sacrosanctum Concilium>, underscores
the importance of holy Communion and, at the same time, the link between it and
the offering of the eucharistic Sacrifice. For this reason, can. 713 § 1 of the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches establishes that "the Divine
Eucharist is to be distributed in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, unless
a just cause suggests otherwise." Such practice should be considered the
only normal one, except for the case of Communion for the sick who are not
present or Communion of the pre-sanctified on non-liturgical days.

61. The Eucharist distributed is to be that which was consecrated during the
same celebration

The rubrics of all liturgical books presuppose that the heavenly Bread
distributed to the faithful is that which was consecrated during the same
celebration, without recourse to the reserved eucharist, except for cases of
absolute necessity. The Supreme Pontiffs Benedict XIV[57] and Pius XII[58]
emphatically reiterated such a prescription, which is in full harmony with the
Eastern tradition. It is obvious that participants in a meal receive the food
from the table at which they are present and not from another. Any usage to the
contrary clouds the meaning of Eucharist, which not only signifies the private
communion of the individual with the Lord Jesus, but also the mutual communion
in the mystical Body of Christ on the part of all the communicants,
participating in the same eucharistic Body of Christ. The correct usage
corresponds in particular with the meaning of the rites of the breaking of the
Bread, existing ever since the institution of Eucharist and so important as to
become the technical expression indicating the eucharistic celebration already
in the apostolic and sub-apostolic period: it is a question of the one, holy
Bread broken and distributed, and the Blood of the one Cup, poured out for all
and offered to all for salvation.

62. The eucharistic fast

Rigorous observation of the eucharistic fast was a unanimous tradition, even
if diversified in its forms, in all the Eastern and Western Churches up until
the first reforms undertaken in this area by Pope Pius XII. It expressed and
continues to signify the concern for a proper spiritual preparation for
receiving the Eucharist, life-giving Bread come down from heaven. In the desire
to facilitate access to the Eucharist, such practice has been greatly reduced in
the Latin Church. A similar example was followed by many Eastern Catholic
Churches, while those non-Catholic maintained their customs, even if perhaps
less strictly. The change in the discipline of the eucharistic fast has
contributed to the development of a greater participation in the Eucharist,
although it has sometimes contributed to weakening the awareness of the
extraordinary value and meaning of the mystery celebrated. Can. 707 § 1 of the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches refers legislation in this regard to the
particular law. An eventual restoration, at least partial, of the ancient norms
for fasting in the Eastern Catholic Churches is valued opportune, taking into
account the meaning of both the traditional practice, which does not always
exactly coincide with the Latin sensibility, and of the need to correspond with
the different conditions of life in the world today.

63. The so-called "non-liturgical" days

Can. 704 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches affirms that "the
Divine Liturgy can be praiseworthily celebrated on any day except those which
are excluded according to the prescriptions of the liturgical books of the
Church <sui iuris> in which the priest is enrolled." To specify which
days are non-liturgical, the canon thus refers to the prescriptions of the
liturgical books. These prescriptions are not the same for the various Churches
<sui iuris> or, more specifically, for the great families of Eastern
Churches. It is necessary to recognize that these prescriptions, although stated
in the liturgical books and accordingly in force in many Churches <sui
iuris>, have too often dropped into disuse in recent times, also due to
influence from the Latin tradition. Their disappearance often entails, besides
the loss of the ancient tradition of non-liturgical days, abandoning the
celebration of the liturgy of Presanctified. Considering that the joyous and
festive dimension of the Eucharist, experienced as an event and not as a habit,
was alive in Christian antiquity and is maintained in many Eastern liturgies,
the forsaking of such practice contributes to diminishing the full meaning of
the Divine Liturgy, which is celebrated in an integral and solemn way at the
conclusion and as a seal of a whole journey of preparation, punctuated by
celebrations of various types. To recuperate an element so significant in the
heritage of the undivided Church, it is necessary to proceed toward a revival of
the discipline of non-liturgical days where it has disappeared in relatively
recent times.

64. Feast days

Can. 881 § 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches declares that
"the Christian faithful are bound by the obligation to participate on
Sundays and feast days in the Divine Liturgy, or according to the prescriptions
or legitimate customs of their own Church <sui iuris>, in the celebration
of the divine praises," and § 2 completes it, adding that "in order
for the Christian faithful to fulfill this obligation more easily, the available
time runs from the evening of the vigil until the end of the Sunday or feast
day." The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches thus provides for the
possibility, inspired by n. 15 of the <Orientalium Ecclesiarum>, to
satisfy the precept of Sunday either by participating in the Divine Liturgy, or
by taking part in the Divine Office. Such a possibility emphasizes the
importance of the Divine Office, and in a certain way renders concretely
possible its correct celebration, at the proper hours, and in such a way that
the texts correspond fully to the time in which they are celebrated. In fact,
the daily cycle begins with Vespers and is extended into the night to culminate
in the morning with the Divine Liturgy or Oblation. To celebrate the various
parts of the Divine Office in times other than those foreseen by the entire
structure of the text risks destroying the equilibrium of the different parts
and diminishing the fullness of the eucharistic mystery, for which they are a
preparation and of which they are a continuation. Authentic liturgical pastoral
theology must bear in mind the whole of the problems and not be limited to
simply imitating Western practice. The immediate fonts for restoring the usage
should be the prescriptions of the liturgical books published according to the
authentic traditions of the different Churches.

65. Times and places of the celebration

Regarding the time and place for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy,
differing from the prescriptions of can. 931-932 of the Code of Canon Law which
are valid for the entire Latin Church, can. 707 § 1 of the Code of Canons of
the Eastern Churches does not present norms valid for all the Eastern Churches
but rather, requires the different particular laws to establish norms in this
regard. However, eucharistic celebrations outside of the sacred place should be
limited to an indispensable minimum.

The precise hour of the celebration of the Divine Liturgy is also linked with
the discipline of fasting, which is different in the various days and periods of
the year.

In addition, the excessive multiplication of festive eucharistic celebrations
should be avoided: on the one hand, such multiplication hinders the celebration
of the Divine Office; on the other hand, an assembly less dispersed and a
greater concentration of faithful assure a greater dignity of the rite.

The presbyters should especially avoid celebrating the Divine Liturgy more
than once a day without a specific pastoral reason. Practice deviating from this
principle must be authorized and controlled by the episcopal authority.

Offerings to the celebrant for particular intentions in the Divine Liturgy
are inserted in the broader context of the offering of self and of one's own
life to the Father, of solidarity with the whole Church and especially, with the
poor, of the need to assist the maintenance of the priest and the costs of
worship. Offerings by the Christian faithful for the celebration of Divine
Liturgies according to their own intentions,[59] in the case of more
celebrations in a day, should be attributed to purposes specified by the local
Hierarch.

66. The liturgical vestments

Putting on a particular vestment to accomplish a sacred act signifies leaving
the usual dimensions of daily life to enter the presence of God in the
celebration of the divine Mysteries, with symbolic reference to Paul's teaching:
"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ" (Gal. 3:27). The Armenian, Nerses Shnorhali, Catholicos from 1165
to 1173, writes: "Nobody believes the priestly habit to be useless and
lacking mystery... It is a question of external observances of man for those who
are in the service of the things of God. We speak also of the interior man, for
which external worship is the figure of the luminous spiritual
ornament."[60]

Indication for the liturgical vestments to be worn in the celebration must be
specified by the particular law, and is usually found codified in the liturgical
books or in other instructions of liturgical character which come from the
competent authorities. Also in this area, the traditional usage should be
preserved, maintaining all the value of the particular liturgical language and
abstaining from the imitation of other Churches' usage. Only very grave reasons
or exceptional circumstances can authorize different practice. If undue changes
in the liturgical vestments have been introduced, the traditional rules should
be reinstated.

As for the non-liturgical dress of the clergy, it is appropriate that the
individual Churches <sui iuris> return to the style of the traditional
Eastern usage.

67. The preparation of the bread and the wine

Can. 706 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches reminds us that
"the sacred gifts which are offered are bread made of wheat alone (...) and
natural wine of the grape."

Can. 707 § 1 is concerned with the "preparation of the Eucharistic
bread." Since the Christian Churches know different ways of preparing the
bread destined for Eucharist, the Code requires the observation of the
prescriptions of the various particular laws. The most notable difference in
this regard is that which exists between leavened bread, traditionally used by
most of the Eastern Churches, and unleavened bread, used by the Armenians and
Latins. About the symbolism of one or the other use, much has been discussed in
the past, often in polemic tones, sometimes attributing theological

interpretations to them. Since in this arena each usage has its value, the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches prescribes that each Church <sui
iuris> preserve that which it has inherited from its Fathers, because in such
a way the complementary aspects of the eucharistic Mystery are expressed in
symbolic form.

Other differentiations are noted in the form given to the bread destined for
eucharistic celebrations and to the mark stamped on it, in the prayers which
accompany the preparation, in the names with which it is designated, etc. Each
one of these particulars is to be regulated according to the directions in the
liturgical books.

As to the wine, it is necessary to point out that the rule presented by the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches differs from that of can. 924 § 1 of the
Code of Canon Law which specifies that the wine is to be mixed with a small
quantity of water. This mixing has not been mentioned in the Code of Canons of
the Eastern Churches because it is not in use in the Armenian Church and thus is
not to be considered as a valid law for all the Eastern Churches.

The rite of Zeon (the supplemental addition of hot water in the cup before
Communion), present in the Churches coming from the Constantinopolitan branch
and unfortunately forsaken in some Greek Catholic Churches, should be recovered.
The same applies for other numerous celebrative elements if they have fallen
into disuse.

68. The liturgical vestments and bread from the particular rite are to be
used

Regarding the preparation of the bread and the liturgical vestments, can. 707
§ 2 states that "for a just cause and having removed any astonishment on
the part of the Christian faithful, it is permissible to use the liturgical
vestments and bread of another Church <sui iuris.>" Two limits to
this permission must be noted. The concession is granted so that the
impossibility of procuring the bread or vestments should not impede the
eucharistic celebration for the good of the faithful, which surpasses the
necessary norms under normal circumstances. This permission should only be used
in exceptional situations which cannot be generalized, such as the case of
persecution and thus of clandestine celebration. It certainly does not dispense
the obligation to do all that is possible so that such irregularity be avoided,
and bread and vestments be according to the proper liturgical usage. It is meant
even more for the case of the bread, in as much as the preparation of the bread
for Eucharist is an integral part of the celebration and cannot be omitted
without truly serious reasons. Therefore, excluding the Armenian liturgy, when
prosphora is lacking, normal fermented bread is to be used in the exceptional
cases mentioned.

The second constraint is for any astonishment to be removed on the part of
the Christian faithful. It is necessary to avoid innovation which risks being
misunderstood because of its contrast with the traditional use known by the
faithful. Such attention extends also to the sensitivity of the non-Catholic
faithful, in particular of those belonging to the same Tradition.

69. The reference to the particular law does not imply minor importance

The whole of the prescriptions listed by can. 707 is relatively secondary
with respect to the totality of the eucharistic sacrament. Nonetheless, it is
laden with spiritual meanings belonging to a coherent system, enabling an
optimal introduction to full knowledge of the eucharistic Mystery.

To remove some of these entails the risk of impoverishing the general
framework. Their importance is reiterated in can. 713 § 2 which insists that
"the Christian faithful are to observe faithfully the norms of the Church
<sui iuris> in which they are enrolled, not only within the territorial
boundaries of the same Church, but, inasmuch as it is possible,
everywhere."

Note how can. 707 refers to the particular law of each Church <sui
iuris>, which must establish accurate norms concerning the eucharistic
celebrations. This does not mean to belittle the importance, but to express the
desire that the specificity and diversity of the different authentic traditions
be protected. It is fitting that the particular liturgical law express and
guarantee the proper physiognomy and authenticity of each particular liturgical
family or tradition.

CHAPTER IX

Sacred Ordination

70. Sacred ministers and liturgy

Can. 323 § 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches affirms that
"clerics, who are also called sacred ministers, are Christian faithful who,
chosen by the competent ecclesiastical authority, are deputed through a gift of
the Holy Spirit received in sacred ordination to be ministers of the Church
participating in the mission and power of Christ, the Pastor." Sacred
ministers have a special link with the liturgy, because many of their functions
are carried out in the liturgy, because they perform a function in it that is
distinguished from the other faithful, and because of their frequent contact
with it.

71. Liturgical formation of sacred ministers

In the formation of sacred ministers, care should be taken to promote
progressive growth of the interior participation in the holy Mysteries and in
Him who operates in them. In order to be mystagogues of the people, they must
live in an exemplary way the same mystagogy. Their role in the liturgy is to be
the font, food and model for a life of fullness received by the grace of the
Lord. Moreover, they are to be perfectly formed toward a precise, in-depth and
well-founded knowledge of the holy liturgy, in its theological, spiritual and
ceremonial aspects.

The importance of the liturgical life is also emphasized in the canons that
address seminaries. These affirm that the liturgy is to be the font and
culmination of life (can. 346 § 2, 2 ); that it is to be taught in virtue of
its special importance as a necessary source of doctrine and of a truly
Christian spirit (can. 350 § 3); and that the candidates of priesthood are to
nourish their spiritual life from it (can. 346 § 2, 3 ). It is, therefore,
necessary that the liturgical life be celebrated with great care and always in
its integral form in Eastern seminaries and in formation institutes of Eastern
monks and religious, such that the candidates may be shaped by it and learn it
in all its richness and completeness, giving due space not only to the Eucharist
but also to the Divine Office. The liturgy is to be the true font of
spirituality by which the candidates are formed, the element that unifies all
that they learn, and the place in which doctrine becomes celebration of praise
and thanksgiving and life is transformed by grace. Such prominence given to the
liturgy will allow the candidates to draw fully as much as is necessary for
their interior life and will prevent their seeking it in environments foreign to
the coherence of their own heritage. Can. 343 prescribes that all the candidates
of priesthood are to be formed according to their own rite, even if they have
been admitted into a seminary of another Church <sui iuris> or into a
common seminary for several Churches <sui iuris>, rebuking any custom to
the contrary. The same applies to all dimensions of the heritage of each Eastern
Church: theological, spiritual and disciplinary, but in an eminent way for the
liturgical dimension.

72. Articulations of Sacred Ordination

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches explains that the clergy, joined
among themselves by hierarchical communion and constituted in various degrees of
the Order by their sacred ordination, participate in diverse ways in the one
divinely instituted ecclesiastical ministry.[61] However, it also foresees the
possibility, in addition to these, of other ministers called minor Orders.

Can. 325 specifies that "in virtue of sacred ordination clerics are
distinguished as bishops, presbyters and deacons." Can. 327 adds that if,
in addition to these, other ministers are also admitted or instituted for the
service of the people of God or to exercise functions of the sacred liturgy,
they are to be constituted in minor Orders and are generally called minor
clerics. The canon establishes that their constitution is governed "only by
the particular law of their own Church <sui iuris.>"

The intent of the Code is for the tradition of each individual Eastern Church
<sui iuris> to be respected.

73. Whoever is enrolled in a minor Order is no longer a lay person

While the Code of Canon Law speaks of ministries that can be permanently
assumed by the laity, "through the prescribed liturgical rite" (can.
230 § 1), the minor Orders, rather, are inserted in the ecclesiastical
Hierarchy according to the level of each one. Whoever has received these orders,
therefore, is no longer a lay person, but becomes a member of what the
liturgical books of most Eastern Churches call the "clergy" or
"Sacred Orders." The difference between minor Orders and ministries
entails consequences also in the way of interpreting can. 358 of the Code of
Canons of the Eastern Churches: it affirms that a candidate "is enrolled as
a cleric in the eparchy for whose service he is ordained unless, according to
the norm of the particular law of his own Church <sui iuris>, he has
already been enrolled in the same eparchy." This reference to the norms of
the particular law echoes can. 327, which establishes that those
"constituted in minor orders, generally called minor clerics (...) are
governed only by the particular law of their own Church <sui iuris.>"
It would be beneficial, therefore, that the enrollment in the clergy of the
different eparchies happen at the moment of the constitution in a minor Order,
so as to assume the minister from that moment into a full and stable form of
service for the eparchy.

74. The ancient practice of minor Orders is to be maintained

It does not seem appropriate that the different Churches <sui iuris>
change their customs regarding minor Orders, once shared by all the Churches:
this has, in fact, its own special meaning. Far from abandoning them, the
reforms of the particular laws of the different Churches should rather restore
them to greater significance and vitality. This is also recommended for reasons
of ecumenical nature: if the Eastern Catholic Churches have a special duty of
fostering unity among all Eastern Churches, among other ways, through religious
fidelity to the ancient traditions,[62] it would not seem helpful to introduce a
differentiation of usage with respect to the Orthodox Churches, all
participating in the same common origin. Every change that has been improperly
introduced in more or less recent times should be re-examined based on these
principles.

75. A real and coherent practice of the Orders is sought

The minor Orders and the diaconate are not mere formalities in preparation
for presbyterial ordination. They provide a specific service in the Church, and
as such are to be effectively exercised in a definitive way by those who do not
intend to enter the presbyterate, and in a sufficiently ample way by those who
are to be ordained presbyters. This is especially valid for the diaconate. In
this sense, misgivings should not be had toward conferring minor Orders and even
the diaconate on those who comport themselves well, are suitable and
appropriately prepared for the responsibility they assume, and declare
themselves available for the service of the Church, even if they must continue
to live with their families and practice their own trades. Thus, the ministers
necessary for a dignified and fitting celebration of the liturgy are obtained,
avoiding the practice, different also in this case from the Latin Church in
which it is no longer in use, of having ministers of a higher range perform the
liturgical functions that should be reserved to those of lower range (the most
frequent case is that of presbyters functioning as deacons), or of permanently
appointing to the laity liturgical tasks expected of a minister: practices to be
eliminated.

76. The diaconate

The diaconate was instituted not for priesthood but for the service of the
bishops and presbyters. Deacons were, in fact, once considered as their hands
and eyes; or, as expressed by Ignatius of Antioch, the deacons manifest in
harmony with them to the faithful people "the commandment of the
Lord."[63] A similar perspective, preserved in the Orthodox Churches and in
the process of being recuperated in the Latin community, is to also be placed in
full light in the Eastern Catholic Churches. The re-establishment of its
liturgical and extra-liturgical mission appears, in fact, to be very beneficial.

77. The right to ordain clerics enrolled in a certain eparchy

Can. 748 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches indicates norms that
regulate the right to ordain clerics enrolled in a certain eparchy. In §2, it
establishes that an eparchial bishop cannot ordain a candidate subject to him
who is enrolled in another Church <sui iuris> without the permission of
the Apostolic See or, in some cases, of the Patriarch. The obligation of this
permission concerns only the licitness of the ordination celebration and more
appropriately refers to the case in which the celebration takes place in a
liturgical rite different from that of the one to which the candidate belongs,
or when the ordaining eparchial Bishop asks permission to celebrate the
ordination in the rite of the candidate. Beyond the rite of the celebration
itself, the bishop of the eparchy or diocese where the candidate is to be
enrolled maintains the full right of granting dismissorial letters to a Bishop
belonging to the candidate's Church <sui iuris>, so that the sacred
ordination proceeds observing the liturgical prescriptions of the proper rite.

78. Limits for granting Eastern honors

Clerics are to take into account the proviso of can. 388 of the Code of
Canons of the Eastern Churches regarding the use of rights and insignia
associated with dignities conferred upon them. In addition, dignities used in
the Eastern Churches are not to be granted to clerics not belonging to the
Church <sui iuris> which confers them. Those dignities, and the associated
rights, which have been received from the Latin usage prior to the conciliar
reform are to be abolished. In fact, the attribution of such honors should not
be reduced to pure superficiality, which is harmful to the singular dignity of
the Eastern liturgies.

Moreover, it is not appropriate to confer monastic titles, with the
associated insignia and attire, to secular clergy. This applies even more so to
married clergy.

CHAPTER X

Marriage

79. Christian Marriage

Referring to matrimonial life, Saint Paul, citing the book of Genesis,[64]
adds: "This is a great mystery, I speak in reference to Christ and the
Church" (Eph. 5:32). Affirmations unceasingly repeated in all the Churches,
they introduce us into the understanding of the multifold richness of married
life.

Married life evokes the entire act of creation of the universe, which finds
its culmination in man created in the image and likeness of his Creator, and
underscores the relational dimension: the person is not made to be alone. Called
to work and dominate the earth, he is in need of a helper who is similar to him,
with whom he forms one body.

A mystery even more profound if "in reference to Christ and the
Church:" in the mystery of Christ, in fact, the relationship of the created
with her Lord is fully unveiled, with the one who is greater than she and in
whose image she was created, who covered her with his glory before the fall, who
mysteriously accompanies her through the days of this life and who will directly
illuminate her in the heavenly Jerusalem (cf. Rev. 21:23).

The liturgical texts express this relational dimension in several formulas
asking peace, perfect love, harmony, and abundance of goods; followed by
moderation, chastity, irreproachable behavior, truth; and also fidelity to their
promise and stability in the holy union that comes from the Lord, according to a
model that should not only characterize married life, but also inspire the whole
family of humanity's living together, following the example of the Lord who came
to destroy enmity through himself, gather in unity that which was divided and
reconcile all with God, taking the Church as his wife, handing himself over to
her, purifying her so as to make her holy and without blemish (cf. Eph.
5:25-27).

The relationship of love between husband and wife becomes fertile and issues
in participating in the work of creation through the generation of children, in
fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, chosen by God to become father of a
multitude of peoples, all called to offer worship in spirit and truth to the
living God.

80. The obligation of preparation

Can. 783 § 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches reminds the
pastors of souls about their obligation to take care of the faithful who are
preparing for the matrimonial state, so that they may get to know and be
informed about the meaning of Christian Marriage, about its characteristics of
union and indissolubility in the image of the indefectible union of Christ with
the Church and about its duties of union between them and toward their offspring
(can. 776 §1 and 2).

Can. 784 refers to the particular law of the Churches <sui iuris> for
the rules for the examination of the parties and the inquiries concerning their
Baptism and freedom to marry. It should be noted that, differing from the Latin
Code (can. 1065), the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches uses only the term
Baptism and does not allude to Chrismation with holy Myron. As previously
mentioned, Chrismation with holy Myron must be administered in conjunction with
Baptism in the Eastern tradition.[65]

81. The consent and form of the Marriage

An indispensable element for constituting a Marriage is the consent with
which a man and a woman mutually give and receive each other (can. 817). The
internal consent of the mind is presumed to be in agreement with the words or
signs employed in celebrating the Matrimony (can. 824 § 1).

Only those Marriages are valid which are celebrated with the sacred rite,
with the presence and blessing of the local Hierarch or the local parish priest
or a priest to whom the faculty of blessing the Marriage has been given by
either of them (can. 828 §§ 1 and 2). The Marriage can be validly and licitly
celebrated in the presence of witnesses alone when a priest who is competent
according to the norm of the law cannot be present or accessed without grave
inconvenience, or in danger of death, or if it is prudently foreseen that such
circumstances will continue for at least a month. As much as possible in such
cases, another priest, even non-Catholic, is to be called to bless the Marriage
(can. 832 §§ 1 and 2).

82. The obligation of the sacred rite

It should be noted that the obligation of the sacred rite, and thus of the
priestly blessing, for the validity of the Marriage is specific to Eastern law.
In the Latin Church, simply the presence of the local Ordinary, or the parish
priest, or a priest or deacon delegated by either of them is required.[66] In
the Eastern tradition, the priest, in addition to assisting, must bless the
Marriage. To bless means to act as the true minister of the sacrament, in virtue
of his priestly power to sanctify, so that the spouses may be united by God in
the image of the flawless nuptial union of Christ with the Church and be
consecrated to each other by sacramental grace.

Can. 832 § 3 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Church also specifies
that, if for extraordinary circumstances, Marriage is celebrated only in the
presence of witnesses, the spouses must receive the blessing of the Marriage
from the priest as soon as possible.

83. Competencies for blessing the Marriage

As for the competency of blessing the Marriage, both the Code of Canons of
the Eastern Churches and the Code of Canon Law prescribe norms of the same tone:
the Hierarch or the local parish priest may "validly bless the marriage of
parties anywhere within the boundaries of their territory, whether they are
subjects or non-subjects, provided that at least one of the parties is enrolled
in his Church <sui iuris.>"[67]

As for the delegation to bless a Marriage, can. 830 § 1 of the Code of
Canons of the Eastern Churches establishes that the local Hierarch and parish
priest "can give the faculty to bless a determined marriage within their
own territorial boundaries to priests of any Church <sui iuris>, even the
Latin Church." The local Ordinary or parish priest of the Latin rite can
also delegate to Eastern priests the faculty to assist and bless the Marriage of
Latin faithful.[68]

It is always necessary to take into account that, with the exception of the
case in which the Hierarch or the parish priest are of another Church <sui
iuris>, with respect to the norm of can. 916 of the Code of Canons of the
Eastern Churches, the celebration must occur, <ad liceitatem>, according
to the rites of the spouses, or of one of them if it is an inter-ritual
marriage.[69] Therefore, a celebration in another rite is illicit, but can be
authorized by the Apostolic See on a case by case basis.

Can. 831 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches specifies that
the Marriage must be celebrated in the presence of the parish priest of the
groom, unless the particular law determines otherwise or unless excused by a
just cause.

In the case of mixed Marriages between Eastern Catholics and Orthodox, the
obligation to observe the form, that is, the norm of celebrating the Marriage in
the presence of the local Hierarch or local parish priest or one delegated by
them, is required only for licity. For their validity, however, only the
blessing of a priest is required.[70]

84. The prescriptions of the liturgical books is to be observed

"Outside the case of necessity, in the celebration of marriage the
prescriptions of the liturgical books and the legitimate customs are to be
observed in the celebration of marriage" (can. 836). In reviewing and
eventually updating the liturgical prescriptions for these celebrations, the
competent authorities of each Church <sui iuris> are to carefully
safeguard the specific features of their own heritage which show the particular
prominence of the meaning of the matrimonial institution in the framework of the
history of salvation and, especially, expresses in theological terms the strict
relation between it and the nuptial mystery existing between Christ and his
Church.

85. Engagements

Can. 782 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches addresses the
Engagements which precede Marriage, affirming that they are governed by the
particular law (§ 1). The canon specifies that action to seek the celebration
of Marriage does not arise from the promise of Marriage. In the practice
existing for centuries—and still used in many Churches—the Engagement, often
called the "rite of the rings," is usually celebrated together with
the matrimonial rite itself, called the "rite of the crowns."

The specific meaning of the rite of engagement is to express the consent of
the future spouses, while that of the crowns has more directly the scope of
introducing them into the fullness of matrimonial life. The rite of Engagement
does not consist of simple promises but rather of a definitive pledge.
Therefore, it is not appropriate for the Engagements to be celebrated
superficially or at the beginning of plans for matrimony. Specific liturgical
rites for the first steps of realizing these projects—less solemn and less
definitive—exist in various Churches and are a part of the tradition,
currently not practiced, of others. A better understanding and eventual
restoration of these rites could contribute to the sanctification of the
different moments in the journey of Christian couples up through its full
completion.

CHAPTER XI

Penance

86. The meaning of Penance

John the Baptist preached in the desert of Judea, saying: "Repent for
the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Mt. 3:2). The same formula was used by
Jesus Christ in the beginning of his public life (cf. Mt. 4:17). Peter also
initiated his apostolic ministry exhorting to conversion those who witnessed the
descent of the Spirit on Pentecost morning (cf. Acts 2:38). It is precisely this
mission that Christ entrusted to the Apostles the evening of his resurrection,
when he appeared and taught them that "repentance, for the forgiveness of
sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations" (Lk. 24:47) and he
sent them in mission, saying: "Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you
forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (Jn.
20:22-23).

Conversion of the heart, with which man responds to the call of God and
changes the direction of his life, turning to the Lord, entails many dimensions,
among which are compunction, penitence, and reparation; it involves both thought
and behavior and is at the center of all Christian life. In fact, "all have
sinned and are deprived of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23) but, by
participating in the death and resurrection of Christ, can obtain remission of
their sins, dying to themselves and living for God (cf. Rom. 6:11).

87. The penitential attitude permeates all Christian worship

The penitential orientation which accompanies all Christian life constantly
appears in every manifestation of worship; in fact, it demands truth (cf. Ps.
50[51]:6) and thus, implies unceasing acknowledgment of one's sins and of the
need to change ways. Such an attitude is found throughout the liturgical year
and in every hour of the day, but in a particularly exigent way during the times
of preparations for the feasts, above all in the one preceding Easter. For this
reason, all the liturgies of the East as in the West ever since time immemorial
call for Psalm 50[51] to be prayed even several times a day, the psalm with
which forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit is invoked. The penitential
attitude notably appears in many sacraments. Baptism, in fact, is given to us
for the "blessed purification" of sins,[71] in the Divine Liturgy we
offer "spiritual worship for our own sins and the faults of your
people,"[72] approaching the Holy Communion in which we receive "the
Body and the Blood of the Lord broken and shed for the remission of
sins;"[73] the Anointing of the sick also procures the remission of sins
(cf. Jas. 5:15). In various Eastern Churches, there are moments of liturgical
prayer to which penitential value is particularly attributed as is also, in a
certain way, a power of reconciliation. Penance in the ancient tradition did not
obtain its fruit of salvation only in the liturgical setting, because there are
other actions (fasts, alms, pilgrimages, etc.) which already obtain from God a
certain grace of forgiveness and there are places (monasteries, sketes, cells,
deserts, etc.) in which the ineffable gift of <penthos>, or mourning for
one's own sins, reveals through tears the possibility to be reborn every day in
the newness of life in the Spirit.

88. The sacrament of Penance and its ordinary celebration

With motherly condescendence the Church continuously comes to meet human
frailty allowing for new penitence after Baptism. In the framework of a life
ever characterized by the full realization of the baptismal powers and of
adhering to Christ, the sacrament of Penance occupies a privileged position and,
in a special way, prepares for receiving the Divine Eucharist. In it, as
affirmed by can. 718 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, the faithful
who have committed sins after Baptism and resolve to lead a new life,
"through the ministry of the priest, having themselves made a confession
and accepted an appropriate penance, obtain forgiveness from God and at the same
time are reconciled with the Church." This confession, individual and
integral, with absolution, constitutes the only ordinary means by which the
Christian faithful aware of a serious sin can obtain omission.[74] Even if
serious sins have not been committed, it is strongly recommended that all the
Christian faithful frequently receive this sacrament, especially during times of
fasts and penance.[75]

89. Communitarian value of Penance

Individual confession is contained within a context that is by its nature
exquisitely ecclesial and thus communitarian, first of all because
reconciliation with God is also reconciliation with the Church. Moreover, in all
the Eastern Churches, the sacrament is traditionally administered in a framework
of prayers, declarations, admonitions and absolutions, which can praiseworthily
be celebrated by an assembly of faithful. Such practice is suggested, at least
indirectly, when the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches affirms that the
proper place of its celebration is the church[76] and corresponds to the Eastern
traditional usage of celebrating it not in a confessional similar to that used
in the Latin Church but in the same sacred building and, in some traditions, in
front of an icon of Christ. It will be the task of the authorities of the
individual Churches <sui iuris> to attentively examine their liturgical
books, even those of the past, to find the formulas which best express the
richness of their own traditions in this specific field.

90. The meaning and value of individual confession

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches establishes that absolution cannot
be imparted to multiple penitents at the same time without prior individual
confession, except for the extraordinary circumstances listed in can. 720 § 2,
and with certain conditions specified in can. 721 § 1. This norm emphasizes the
value of individual confession in the whole of sacramental Penance. The
awareness and confession of one's own sins are the conditions for rendering
worship to God in truth. To forgive sins belongs to God alone. Therefore, as
recalled by various Eastern rituals, the confession of sins is directed above
all to God. On the other hand, after his resurrection, Christ entrusted to the
Apostles the task of guiding his sheep toward the Kingdom of Heaven, when he
gave them the Holy Spirit saying: "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven
them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (Jn. 20:23). The confessor is
thus placed in a position of knowing what is to be bound and what is to be
loosed (cf. Mt. 16:19), which is protected by the sacramental secret. Therefore,
the more individual aspect of the sacrament of Penance, traditional in the
Eastern Churches, is to be maintained, encouraged and eventually recuperated
where it has not been sufficiently practiced.

CHAPTER XII

Anointing of the Sick

91. The healing of the sick, a sign of the coming of the Kingdom

When asked by the disciples of John the Baptist if he was the Messiah that
was to come, Jesus said in reply: "Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed" (Mt.
11:4-5). All the Gospels refer to the numerous examples of the Lord's active
care for the sick, and a reflection by the evangelist Matthew (cf. Mt. 8:17)
helps us to understand its significance: the healing of the sick is fulfillment
of the prophecy of Isaiah.[77] The Savior, curing the sick and raising the dead,
reveals how he, by the Holy Spirit (cf. Mt. 12:28), snatches from Satan his evil
power over mankind, and restores the Kingdom to the Father (cf. 1 Cor.
15:24,28).

As manifestation and sign of the salvation present in the person of Jesus,
the curing of the sick is also the task of the Church in the Holy Spirit who
extends the work of the Word incarnate. In fact, Christ indicates this when he
sends his disciples on mission saying to them: "Cure the sick (...) cleanse
lepers" (Mt. 10:8); or when, before his Ascension, he describes the signs
that will accompany those who believe: "In my name (...) they will lay
hands on the sick, and they will recover" (Mk. 16:17-18). The classical
text from the letter of St. James, "Is anyone among you sick? He should
summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint
[him] with the oil in the name of the Lord" (Jas. 5:14), is in the same
line and at the base of the sacramental elaboration of the rite of the Anointing
of the sick.

92. The meaning of the sacrament

The Anointing of the sick is accompanied by prayer for their healing. Its
meaning is intrinsically linked with its quality as a sign that expresses the
complete healing of the person and the benevolence of the heavenly Father
offered to man undermined as he is, in the body as in the soul, by sickness and
sin; this healing is the work of Christ, the physician of our souls and bodies.
In fact, when he cures the paralytic, he explains to the scribes the meaning of
the miracle: "that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth
to forgive sins" (Mt. 9:6). The oil with which the sick are anointed thus
signifies the spiritual medicine offered by the divine mercy to man afflicted by
the countless miseries of life. It is a sacrament of the Church and draws its
value from the prayer proclaimed with faith by the Church and the presbyters who
represent her. The faith which must accompany the anointing expresses the
confidence that the believers have in the Lord who stops at nothing to bring us
to his Kingdom and grants our supplications with all that we need so that,
participating in his death, we may also partake in his resurrection.

93. Ways of celebration

The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches strongly recommends the
administration of the Anointing to the sick every time they are gravely ill
(can. 738) and indicates that such ministry is reserved only to priests (can.
739 § 1). It then reminds us of the usage in some Eastern Churches to assemble
several priests for its celebration and exhorts that the custom is to be
preserved wherever possible (can. 737 § 2). In fact, the concelebration of
several priests better expresses the solicitude of the entire ecclesial
community toward the sick, to affront and surpass together with him or her the
dangers of the soul and the body. As to the liturgical rites to be observed, the
Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches prescribes that the oil to be used in the
sacrament of Anointing the sick must be blessed during the celebration of the
sacrament and specifically by the priest administering it, unless the particular
law of the Church <sui iuris> determines otherwise (can. 741).

It also requires that the "words, order and manner of anointing are to
be carefully carried out according to the prescriptions of the liturgical
books," although "in case of necessity only the anointing with the
proper formula suffices" (can. 742).

94. Characteristics of the Anointing in Eastern liturgies

In the Eastern Churches, the celebration of the sacrament of the Anointing of
the sick is sometimes rather complex and somewhat prolonged. In reality, this
notable duration, different from the brevity of the Western rituals, underscores
the mystagogical aspect of prayer which entails contemplation of the wonders of
the Lord, proclaimed in various gospel texts, from which strength and
consolation are drawn. Supplication is made for the Lord to grant salvation of
the body and soul to the sick, as much in the present circumstances as in the
end times, when he will render his faithful participants in the fullness of
divine life. If conditions require, the authorities of the individual Churches
can indicate the parts of the text to be used for celebrations in the house of
the sick, when they are gravely ill, or in hospitals. However, it is better for
the full formula to be normally used when the sacrament is administered in the
church, as already occurs and is recommended, and to many sick people, if
possible. In this way, the sacrament maintains its extraordinary catechetical
value.

CHAPTER XIII

The Divine Praises

95. Christian prayer

Writing to the Ephesians, Paul the Apostle offers an indicative framework of
the elements which should characterize the way in which believers live and
especially their prayerful relationship with God: "Be filled with the
Spirit, addressing one another [in] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for
everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father" (Eph.
5:18-20). Christian prayer always has its source in the Holy Spirit, who bestows
rivers of living water that flow from the glorified Christ (cf. Jn. 7:38-39); it
is the Spirit who alone knows the secrets of God (cf. I Cor. 2:11), the only one
who knows what and how to pray and intercedes for us in prayer (cf. Rom.
8:26-27).

The believer responds to this gift, is ready to listen to the word of God and
offers the readiness of his or her heart to believe that Christ is the Son of
God, sent by the Father to accomplish our salvation (cf. Jn. 6:29). The Apostle,
in fact, bids us to sing praises to the Lord in our hearts, referring by this
expression not just to the abode of sentiments, but to the inmost center of
every human being, as shown by Jesus' reprimand of those who surrounded him:
"This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from
me" (Mt. 15:8).

The Old Testament already calls for prayer seven times a day (cf. Ps.
118[119]:164) so that it is extended to the entire day. The same precept is
insistently reiterated in the New Testament, where the Lord reminds us of the
need to "pray always, without becoming weary" (Lk. 18:1).

96. The meaning of the Divine Praises

"Do not be negligent of yourselves, do not deprive the Savior of his own
limbs, do not divide his body, do not scatter his members, do not prefer the
needs of this world to the word of God, but reunite every day, morning and
evening, singing psalms and praying in the house of the Lord."[78] The
Divine Praises continuously rekindle the spirit of vigilance in the desire for
the return of the Lord and sanctify the whole day; recalling the memory of the
presence of the Lord, they distribute his grace, permeating and inserting all of
existence into the Trinitarian life. They sanctify the believer in the dimension
of time in which he or she lives, throughout the hours, days, weeks, months and
years, as true prayer without interruption, according to the apostolic command.
The term itself, "Divine Praises"—related to expressions frequently
used in Sacred Scripture and liturgical texts, such as 'sacrifice of praise,'
'spiritual sacrifice,' 'rational sacrifice'—given, in some churches, to the
worship that extends to the various hours of the day, points out the religious
dimension which transforms the life of man and puts it in personal communion
with the Trinity. The unanimous Christian tradition of the East and West has
always recognized the multiple forms assumed by monastic life as the privileged
place in which this dimension is realized.

The Divine Praises are each Church's school of prayer, instructing in the
ancient way of glorifying God in Christ as one Body, in union with and by the
example of its Head.

97. Components of the Divine Praises and their importance for knowledge of
Eastern spirituality

The celebration of the prayer of time is interwoven with Sacred Scripture,
the Word given by God for "teaching, for refutation, for correction, and
for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work" (2 Tm. 3:16-17). The table of the Word is
lavishly prepared not only through the Lectionaries, which gather the biblical
texts to be proclaimed and organically arrange them in the order of the
liturgical year, but also through the very rich collection of liturgical hymns,
of which all the Eastern Churches can be justly proud, which are but the
"continuation of the Word which is read, understood, assimilated and
finally sung (...) sublime paraphrases of the biblical text, filtered and
personalized through the individual's experience and that of the
community"[79]

A rich and prodigiously developed hymnody and euchology constitute probably
the most original part of the Eastern liturgical celebrations. Multiple
influences, predominantly Syrian and Hellenic, mutually establish and enrich
each other to lead to contemplation of the Christian Mystery, according to the
global vision of the Fathers of the Church. Compiled by numerous authors,
especially by monks who throughout the centuries have unceasingly dedicated
themselves to prayer, the texts of the Divine Praises transmit to us as
inheritance the very rich and inalienable patrimony of spiritual life. They
correspond to the specific features of each of the Eastern Churches, in which
they are still deeply rooted. Like the Sacred Scripture, they need to be
scrutinized and meditated to reveal the precious pearls they contain. The Divine
Praises are, therefore, a privileged place for a study of the Christian
spirituality which begins with the prayer of the Church.

98. The communitarian celebration of the Divine Praises is to be restored
according to the liturgical books

The Eastern Catholic Churches have often run the risk of omitting the
communal and solemn celebration of the Divine Praises, substituting it with
individual recitation of the Divine Office, on the part of the clergy, while the
daily celebration of the Eucharist has remained often almost the only form of
communal liturgy. Where such practice of celebrating the Divine Praises with the
people has diminished, if not completely disappeared, the ancient tradition
should be restored without delay, so as not to deprive the faithful of a
privileged source of prayer, nourished by treasures of authentic doctrine.

It is desired that a renewal of monasticism in the Eastern Catholic Churches,
felt as urgent in many places, allow monasteries to once again become the place
in which the Divine Praises resound in a privileged and solemn way. Calling upon
the time when the Divine Praises were upheld with special care in the East, not
only by the monastic communities, but also by the parishes, the Code of Canons
of the Eastern Churches reminds us of the obligation—often easily forgotten or
abandoned—to celebrate them in the cathedrals, parishes, rectoral churches,
religious communities and seminaries.[80] It is necessary to observe the
prescriptions of the liturgical books (can. 309), but a superficial observance
is not sufficient: those responsible must do their best for the faithful to
understand the meaning and value of this prayer, love it, take part and find
spiritual nourishment in it.[81] They ought to thus formed through a true
mystagogical program, which allows them to attain nourishment for their own
spiritual life from the celebration of the various moments of the liturgical
year.

99. Individual prayer of the Divine Praises

Can. 377 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches establishes that
"all clerics must celebrate the divine praises according to the particular
law of their own Church <sui iuris.>" It is, therefore, an obligation
for the clergy. The ideal form of celebration, better manifesting the value of
prayer by the Church and for the Church, is certainly communal, which is to be
realized and encouraged as a priority. When objective reasons impede a communal
form of celebration, clerics are to at least pray individually with the sacred
texts of the Divine Praises, constantly interceding in the name of all for the
people entrusted to them, for the needs of the Church and the whole world, as
befits a good pastor. The authorities of the Churches <sui iuris> are to
establish reasonable norms to regulate such individual prayer, giving
preference, after careful study in the selection process of the texts, to the
parts which are traditionally more important with respect to the structure of
each Church's own liturgy, and taking into account the real possibilities of the
clergy. The texts thus elaborated could also be of use, next to the more
complete and traditional forms of the Divine Praises, for nurturing the prayer
of individuals, families, or groups of the lay faithful.

CHAPTER XIV

Sacred Places, Gestures And Objects

100. Liturgical prayer involves the total person

The human person in his or her totality becomes illuminated by God and in the
adoption as son attains full relation with him (cf. Jn. 1:13). God asks us to
love him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength. No part of the
person is excluded, rather every part is integral to the others: soul, spirit,
heart, mind and body come together to form the spiritual building raised for the
Lord. The person, priest of creation, takes everything into his or her being,
giving voice to all inanimate reality for the praise of the Creator. In a
particular way, with the Incarnation of the Son of God, humanity is assumed by
the Word, and the divine sanctifies and consecrates the universe. Here lies the
Christian meaning of the space, gestures, and objects which interact with the
believer in divine worship.

101. Sacrifices and oblations

The offering of sacrifices and oblations is found in the Scripture ever since
the first days of human life, in the sacrifices of Cain and Abel. Through them,
the person is opened to the encounter with God; but in order for the offering to
be pleasing, a pure heart is necessary, according to the rule that applies to
the whole economy of salvation. This condition is perfectly fulfilled in the New
Alliance when Christ offers "in truth" a sacrifice and worship
pleasing to God, and when this his gesture is repeated in his name by the
Apostles and the Church. The one source and culmination of sacrifice is that of
Calvary, which is rendered present in the eucharistic offering and continuously
nurtures the faithful.

This attitude is also expressed in other forms, extremely articulate even if
considered minor. The offering of incense, which traces its origins to Old
Testament worship, occupies an important place, especially in the Eastern
Churches, with particular reference to Psalm 140[141]2: "Let my prayer rise
like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands, like the evening
sacrifice." Such liturgical uses have been preserved in the Christian
liturgy: just as, in fact, the Church maintains the Old Testament with
veneration, re-reading it in the light of the Gospel of Christ, so also with the
same spirit does She regard the gestures and Old Testament rites, which find
their full meaning in the Lord Jesus. The Apostle Paul already indicated the
symbolic value of the incense when he explained to the Ephesians that Christ
"gave himself for us as an offering to God, a gift of pleasing
fragrance" (Eph. 5:2) and to the Philippians that their gifts are a
fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God (cf. Phil. 4:18),
or showed to them that the offering of incense signifies the sacrifices and
offerings of faith (cf. Phil. 2:17). It is thus perceived that, for the
Christian, authentic worship is a life lived according to God.

The Eastern Catholic Churches are to jealously maintain and practice as much
as possible the use of incense in the celebrations, even daily, because it
belongs in a special way to their own tradition. Every custom to the contrary is
to be modified.

102. The temple

Jesus teaches the Samaritan woman that God is worshipped neither in Jerusalem
nor on Mount Gerizim, but in Spirit and truth (cf. Jn. 4:21,24). The temple
loses its value as the center of worship because with the death of Jesus, its
veil was torn in two from top to bottom (cf. Mt. 27:51). The image and shadow of
future times, it acquires fullness of meaning in the New Alliance (cf. Mt.
5:17). The Church is the new temple, built with living stones; Christ has, in
fact, destroyed the wall of separation which divided men and built them together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (cf. Eph. 2:14,22). Then in the
heavenly Jerusalem, there will no longer be a temple but in its midst "the
throne of God and of the Lamb" (Rev. 22:3) will be found, and the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb will themselves be the temple (cf. Rev. 21:22).

The sacred building in the time of the Church is a sign which shows us the
way toward Him who is the Lord of the heavenly and earthly creation, the Lord of
the Seraphim, King of Israel, the Holy One, who came to live among us in order
to lead us to his Kingdom, because "our citizenship is in heaven"
(Phil. 3:20). The physical church is a sign of the heavenly altar and of the
sanctuary where Christ has penetrated, not the one made by the hands of man,
which is a copy of the true one, "but heaven itself, that he might now
appear before God on our behalf" (Heb. 9:24). The sanctuary thus transfers
us to a different world, to the presence of God. This relation between two
worlds, the heavenly and the terrestrial, is affirmed often in all the Christian
liturgies. For example, a wide-spread eucharistic formula asks "the
merciful God to receive our gifts as a fragrance of spiritual sweetness on his
holy and celestial and spiritual altar."[82] It involves a sacred
dimension, different from the stark human reality; we are introduced into this
dimension by the liturgical mystery, in which humanity recuperates the cloak of
divine glory that covered it before the fall of sin. The organic relation which
occurs in the Eastern Churches between the nave and the sanctuary symbolizes our
present situation in which we see indistinctly, as in a mirror (cf. 1 Cor.
13:12), since the whole Church is still on her way toward the glorious
revelation of her Lord. In this way, the present life is transformed and
conformed to the image of the Lord, "From glory to glory" (2 Cor.
3:18), beyond the worldly concerns, toward a future life in which we shall see
God "face to face" (1 Cor. 13:12).

103. The altar

The altar is another expression of worship, linked with the offering of
sacrifice to God. Leaving the ark, "Noah built an altar to the Lord, and
(...) he offered holocausts on the altar" (Gen. 8:20). Sacrifice is a
symbolic gesture, present in all religions, which expresses gratitude for the
benefits received, submission, invocation, and propitiation. An important
element of worship in ancient Israel, the altar was finally placed in one
central location, first in the meeting tent in the time of Moses and then, in
the temple of Solomon.

Christ also refers to it when he reprimands the leaders of the people,
saying: "Which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift
sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one
who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who
swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on
it" (Mt. 23:19-22).

In the mystagogy of the Eastern Fathers, the Christian altar acquires
perfection of its multiple symbology in the dynamic of liturgical celebration,
simultaneously representing all the levels of sacred typology, from its
prefiguration in the Old Alliance to its fulfillment in the New. Thus, the
Christian altar is at the same time the fulfillment of the <Sancta
Sanctorum> of the ancient temple, the Golgotha altar of the new sacrifice and
the table of the last supper which prefigured it, the tomb of the Lord, the
place of the resurrection, the font of every sacramental grace which comes from
the altar to us, and the altar of the heavenly liturgy of which the Church's
liturgy is an icon, "heaven on earth in which God, who is beyond the
heavens, lives and walks."[83]

104. The Sanctuary

In the Eastern Churches, sacred space is divided into various functional
areas organically connected. It is an image of the Church of God, sacred
convocation of faithful pilgrims toward the promised land. Each member occupies
a specific place, corresponding to his or her mission.

The sanctuary is separated from the nave by a veil, gate or iconostasis,
because it is the most sacred place: it contains the altar on which the Divine
Liturgy is celebrated and the Oblation is offered. Only those who are entrusted
with the sacred ministry can enter the sanctuary to complete the sacred acts.

Processions and other movements establish a relation between the nave and the
sanctuary, gradually and pedagogically directing the faithful toward the altar.
The Gospel always remains on the altar, from which it is solemnly taken for the
celebration of the Word. It is to the altar that the gifts are brought at the
beginning of the eucharistic part of the celebration to be offered to the Lord.
Then, from the altar, the same gifts will solemnly leave the sanctuary to be
communicated to the faithful, signifying the raising of the veil which covers
the mystery of God, in revelation and, especially, in the Incarnation and Pascal
Mystery of the Son.

105. The ambo

In the Eastern tradition, the ambo has different forms with relatively
homogeneous signification. In the Greek Christian tradition, it could consist of
a fixed structure elevated from the floor and dominating the nave of the Church.
From the ambo, the Gospel was proclaimed, the homily could be given, and the
cantor could perform his ministry. The equivalent in the Syrian Churches is the
<Bema>, a platform erected in the center of the Church, with the chairs of
the Bishop and the presbyters, a small altar with the Cross, the Gospel book and
candles, referred to as "Golgotha." From the <Bema>, the deacon
proclaims the Gospel, and the homily is given. As indicated by the terms
("ambo" refers to the elevation, "Golgotha" refers to the
death and burial of the Lord), the symbolism of the ambo recalls the empty tomb
of the Lord, from which he was raised, but that remains as a "sign"
from which the "angel of the resurrection," the deacon, continuously
proclaims the Gospel of our resurrection.[84]

Therefore, it is important that in restoring old churches or constructing new
ones, those responsible should attentively study the symbology expressed in
them, while taking into account and foreseeing the possibility of
re-establishing the usage in conformity to their proper tradition.

106. The narthex and the baptistry

Other places complete the total space of the sacred buildings in the Eastern
Churches: they are the narthex and the baptistry.

The narthex is located at the entrance of the church, where various
celebrations take place, such as those reserved to the catechumens and
penitents, less solemn or more penitential prayers, processions, celebrations of
the Minor Hours of the Divine Praises, or others.

The baptistry is also called the <Kolymbethra>, the pool of immersion
in the death of Christ, or the river "<Jordan>," sanctified by
the Baptism of the Lord in the Holy Spirit, which thus becomes the water of
death to sin. The ancient traditions of the East and the West show great variety
in the form of the baptistry. However, they all had the common characteristic of
representing the tomb in which, immersed to die together with Christ, the
baptized re-emerges resurrected together with Him by the work of the Spirit of
the Father.

The baptistry should normally be placed outside the Church proper, because it
is only after the Baptism and Chrismation with holy Myron that the neophyte
becomes fully part of the Church and thus can enter the temple of which it is a
symbol. Where it is impossible to place the baptistry outside, because of the
structure of the old buildings, then it should at least be located near the
entrance of the church.

107. Prayer facing the east

Ever since ancient times, it has been customary in the prayer of the Eastern
Churches to prostrate oneself to the ground, turning toward the east; the
buildings themselves were constructed such that the altar would face the east.
Saint John of Damascus explains the meaning of this tradition: "It is not
for simplicity nor by chance that we pray turned toward the regions of the east
(...). Since God is intelligible light (1 Jn. 1:5), and in the Scripture, Christ
is called the Sun of justice (Mal. 3:20) and the East (Zech. 3:8 of the LXX), it
is necessary to dedicate the east to him in order to render him worship. The
Scripture says: 'Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and he
placed there the man whom he had formed' (Gen. 2:8). (...) In search of the
ancient homeland and tending toward it, we worship God. Even the tent of Moses
had its curtain veil and propitiatory facing the east. And the tribe of Judah,
in as much as it was the most notable, encamped on the east side (cf. Nm. 2:3).
In the temple of Solomon, the Lord's gate was facing the east (cf. Ez. 44:1).
Finally, the Lord placed on the cross looked toward the west, and so we
prostrate ourselves in his direction, facing him. When he ascended to heaven, he
was raised toward the east, and thus his disciples adored him, and thus he will
return, in the same way as they saw him go to heaven (cf. Acts 1:11), as the
Lord himself said: 'For just as lightning comes from the east and is seen as far
as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be' (Mt. 24:27). Waiting for
him, we prostrate ourselves toward the east. It is an unwritten tradition,
deriving from the Apostles."[85]

This rich and fascinating interpretation also explains the reason for which
the celebrant who presides in the liturgical celebration prays facing the east,
just as the people who participate. It is not a question, as is often claimed,
of presiding the celebration with the back turned to the people, but rather of
guiding the people in pilgrimage toward the Kingdom, invoked in prayer until the
return of the Lord.

Such practice, threatened in numerous Eastern Catholic Churches by a new and
recent Latin influence, is thus of profound value and should be safeguarded as
truly coherent with the Eastern liturgical spirituality.

108. Sacred Images

Sacred images are of great importance, at least in some Eastern Churches.
They offer to the eyes of the faithful a vision of the marvels God has
accomplished on earth, in a special way through the work of the incarnate Word,
but also through the saints and the Church. It is precisely for this reason that
they are deemed of great importance in the liturgical life. One of the salient
characteristics of the liturgy, in fact, is to celebrate, remember and render
present the various moments in which our salvation is mystically realized.
Representing the history of these events through images can thus greatly help to
evoke and fix them in the heart and mind of those who contemplate them. In fact,
every detail of this sacred history constitutes an act of divine power. The
specific meaning of the icons, with respect to other images, consists in evoking
and representing not the daily, human aspects as seen by the earthly eye, but
the absolute Christian newness of "what eye has not seen, and ear has not
heard, and what has not entered the human heart," and that the Lord has
prepared "for those who love him" (1 Cor. 2:9), making them be reborn
from above and showing them the Kingdom of God (cf. Jn. 3:2). Expressing the
heavenly dimension of the personages they represent endows icons with a sacred
nature and, in a certain way, with participation in the divine. For this reason,
icons are direct objects of worship and are venerated as the images of the Lord,
his works and the saints represented are venerated.

Through the centuries, the Eastern Churches as well as the Western ones have
elaborated techniques, forms and coherent systems of sacred representation to
express their faith and bring it near to mankind. While Western Christian art of
the last centuries has gradually developed in a naturalistic line, the Eastern
Churches have remained more faithful to the ancient way of evoking and
representing the heavenly realities. Numerous and diversified schools continue
this tradition even today and produce icons, frescos, fabrics or other objects
in continuity with the ancient models, often without ignoring the present
cultural sensibility. Their high content of faith and art has been rediscovered
by the West itself.

Many Eastern Catholic Churches have often been subjected in this field to
Western ways which are sometimes not of high quality, perhaps more simple but
foreign to the requirements and significance of their own traditions. An organic
recuperation of the proper usages is essential in order to avoid hybridisms and
contradictions within the celebrations: the dispositions of the space, images,
liturgical vestments, and furnishings are not left to the taste of each
individual or group but must correspond to the intrinsic requirements of the
celebrations and should be coherent with respect to each other.

109. The obligation of fidelity to the tradition

It cannot be denied that the Eastern Catholic Churches have been exposed, in
rather recent times, to the influence of sacred art styles completely foreign to
their heritage, concerning both the external form of sacred buildings and the
arrangement of the interior space and sacred images. Yet, from the preceding
observations emerges a harmonious unity of words, gestures, space, and objects
proper and specific to each of the Eastern liturgies. Continuous reference must
be made to this aspect when planning new places of worship. To do so naturally
requires on the part of the clergy an in-depth knowledge of their own tradition
and a constant, well established, and systematic formation of the faithful so
that they may be able to fully perceive the richness of the signs entrusted to
them. Fidelity does not imply anachronistic fixation, as the evolution of sacred
art—even in the East—demonstrates, but rather, development that is fully
coherent with the profound and immutable meaning of how it is celebrated in the
liturgy.

110. The Commission of sacred art

The various Churches <sui iuris> will have to find and form their own
experts in this field, and where necessary institute without further delay
commissions of sacred art, where they do not already exist, with the precise
task of ensuring that the projects for new churches or chapels and the
associated furnishings, as well as restorations of older ones, correspond to the
criteria and meanings of their own liturgical tradition.

In addition, it will be their responsibility to examine the existing sacred
buildings, suggesting improvements or proposing possible interventions.

111. The formation of a Central Office for sacred art

An Office for sacred art has been formed by the Congregation for the Eastern
Churches, in collaboration with the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Goods
of the Church, with the task of helping the Eastern Catholic Churches protect
the patrimony of their own sacred art, providing indications for the
construction of new churches and for the systemization of the interior space or
restoration of existing space. The Hierarchs, especially if experts are lacking
in their own territory, can consult the Office when they plan to undertake one
of the interventions listed.

Conclusion

112. Final considerations

The scope of the present Instruction is to assist the Eastern Churches which
are in full communion with the Church of Rome with their work directed toward
giving the liturgical celebrations the central place due them in ecclesial life,
in full fidelity to the specific features of their own traditions.

The insistence on the full recuperation of Tradition does not mean to
function to the detriment of changes necessary for the sensibility of the
contemporary culture: rather, it will be opportune in the future to address this
perspective in more detail, in the lively hope that it can also account for the
experiences that the Orthodox Churches will acquire in this field, especially in
those territories where they are particularly moved to do so.

Meanwhile, it seemed of primary importance to underscore some general
criteria aimed, above all, at recovering a full celebrative coherence in the
liturgy in the Eastern Catholic Churches, in such a way that the whole Church is
enriched by their specific heritages.

The indications contained here can be completed by the reflection and
contribution of the individual Churches <sui iuris>, dedicating the
necessary attention to them by studying how they should be applied in the
various individual traditions and conditions.

In composing the text of the Instruction, the Congregation for the Eastern
Churches drew from its vast experience acquired through decades of work in the
liturgical sector, thanks to the praise-worthy activity of the Liturgical
Commission operating within the Congregation, and that led also to the
publishing of liturgical texts appreciated not only by Eastern Catholic
Churches, which were the primary recipients, but also by researchers and by
Orthodox brethren themselves. Recognition is also given to the Consultors of the
Commission, who have dedicated and continue to dedicate time and competency to
the service of the Churches of the East.

May Mary, the most beautiful fruit of the Redemption, the humble maidservant
ready to accomplish the will of the Father, the holy ark of the Son who assumes
human nature, the temple overshadowed by the power of the Holy Spirit, she who
received the Word of God keeping him in her heart and who magnified the
greatness and the goodness of the Lord raising her song of praise to Him, the
Mother of the Church, sustain the zeal of the Eastern Catholic Churches ready to
make their liturgical heritage flourish and lead their path toward the perfect
heavenly liturgy on the day in which, upon the Lord's return, humanity will be
allowed to see God as He is, in unceasing adoration of the most holy Trinity.

From the See of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, 6 January 1996,
Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany.

[18] John Paul II, Homily during the Divine Liturgy in the Armenian rite (21
November 1987): <L'Osservatore Romano>, 23-24 November 1987, p. 6; see
also in <Servizio Informazioni per le Chiese Orientali>, supplement to nn.
485-556, p. 5.

[19] Cf. Paul VI, Discourse of 18 March 1974; <Nuntia>. 1 (1975) 6.

[20] John Paul II, Discourse to participants of the meeting about the
pastoral problems of the Catholic Church of the Byzantine rite in Romania (22
January 1994): <L'Osservatore Romano>, 22 January 1994, p. 5; see also in
<Servizio Informazioni per le Chiese Orientali> 49 (1994) 2.

[24] John Paul II, Discourse to the participants of the Synod of the Catholic
Armenian Patriarch (26 August 1989): <L'Osservatore Romano>, 27 August
1989, p. 7; see also in <Servizio Informazioni per le Chiese Orientali>
supplement to nn. 485-556, p. 42.

[25] John Paul II, Homily in the Prayer of incense in the Alexandrian-Coptic
rite (14 August 1988): <L'Osservatore Romano>, 16-17 August 1988, p. 5;
see also in <Servizio Informazioni per le Chiese Orientali>, supplement to
nn. 485-556, p. 24.

[26] Cf. John Paul II, Discourse to participants of the meeting about the
pastoral problems of the Catholic Church of the Byzantine rite in Romania (22
January 1994): <L'Osservatore Romano>, 22 January 1994, p. 5; see also in
<Servizio Informazioni per le Chiese Orientali> 49 (1994) 2.

[41] Cf. for example, the <Apostolic Tradition of Hippolylus>
(<SCh> 11) around the year 217; likewise the baptismal catecheses of the
Fathers of the East and of the West and the subsequent mystagogical catecheses.